NBI wants freeze order on assets of all accused in pork scam
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) wants all assets of all personalities involved in the pork barrel scam be subject of a freeze order, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Thursday.
De Lima explained that it was their position because as far as the NBI is concerned, there is conspiracy in siphoning money from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
The NBI is the lead agency investigating the PDAF scam.
“What the NBI wants is to freeze all assets of those included in our complaints. But since AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council) has its own investigation, we leave it up to them to act,” the justice chief said.
The Court of Appeals already issued a freeze order on four lawmakers and chiefs of staffs of legislators implicated in the scam.
The four members of the House of Representatives subject of the freeze order are Rodolfo G. Plaza of Agusan del Sur, Samuel M. Dangwa of Benguet, Constantino G. Jaraula of Cagayan de Oro, and Edgar de Leon Valdez of the Apec party-list group. The other individuals subject of the order were Jessica “Gigi” Reyes (who resigned as Enrile’s chief of staff early this year), Ruby Tuason (who represented both Enrile and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada), Richard Cambe (chief of staff of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.), Pauline Therese Mary A. Labayen (a staff member of Estrada), Jose “Joy” R. Sumalpong (chief of staff of Masbate Gov. Rizalina Seachon-Lanete), and Erwin C. Dangwa (son and chief of staff of former Benguet Rep. Samuel M. Dangwa).
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