Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Unlike resigned Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon, legislators who have been dragged into the P10-billion “pork barrel” funds scam may not be forced to leave their posts, Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile said on Tuesday.
“Alam mo, kanya-kanya yan eh. Kanya-kanyang desisyon, kanya-kanyang paningin kaya huwag na nating bibigyan ng kulay pa o konklosyun, o husgahan yung tao…” Enrile said when sought to react to Biazon’s resignation.
(It’s a personal decision and let us not put judgment onto him.)
Like Biazon, Enrile was also charged at the Office of the Ombudsman with anomalous disbursements of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) known as pork barrel funds. Biazon was former congressman before he joined the Aquino administration.
Asked if senators or congressmen who were also dragged into the pork scam should follow Biazon’s lead, Enrile said: “The congressmen, they are elected by the people, they cannot resign to the people.”
“Iba yung kaso ng mga presidential appointees, matter of confidence yun eh. Eh, sa mga halal ng tao, kaya ang Presidente kung nagkamali, eh, the only way to get rid of him is either he resigns or he’s impeached, di ba?”
(The case of presidential appointees is different, (it’s) a matter of confidence. For those elected by the people, like the President if he commits mistakes, the only way you get rid of him is either he resigns or he’s impeached.)
“Ganoon din kami. You cannot resign to your position, to the people. Ako naman eh, handang harapin yung paratang nila sa akin (I am ready to face the accusations against me),” he added.
Besides, Enrile said, those being dragged into the pork controversy should be presumed innocent since the filing of case did not mean that they were guilty.
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