Biazon: I’m willing and ready to face raps on pork scam

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon: Jitters. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon on Friday said he was willing and ready to face the allegations against him on his alleged misuse of the pork barrel fund while he was congressman of Muntinlupa.

‘‘I had always exercised prudence and fidelity in the performance of my duty as representative of Muntinlupa as well as in other responsibilities to the public, and pursued projects and programs that benefited my constituents,” Biazon said in a statement.

“I have yet to see the documents pertinent to this issue, but I welcome the opportunity to clarify and answer the accusations, whether before the National Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Ombudsman, or the courts,” he added.

Biazon is one of the 34 respondents in the third batch of complaint filed with the Office of the Ombudsman for the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Meanwhile, there are five more batches of complaints that will be filed against ranking government officials in connection with the PDAF case, according to Atty. Levito Baligod, lawyer of the whistle-blowers.

Baligod said that they have new whistle-blowers who are from the government who have executed affidavits to support the new batches of complaints that they will file.

“Mayroon pa. Mga hanggang 5 batches, halu-halo na, non-PDAF, non-(Janet Lim-) Napoles,” Baligod told reporters Friday at a press conference.

However, Baligod refused to give details on the next batches of complaints that are being readied.

The first batch of complaint was filed with the Office of the Ombudsman last September where Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong”Revilla Jr have been slapped with a case for plunder.

The second batch of complaint was about the Malampaya fund where former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was among the respondents.

The third batch was filed Friday against Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon, six other former lawmakers and 27 others. With a report from Bong Lozada

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