Palace: Allies linked to ‘pork’ racket will face probe

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – It doesn’t matter if you’re close to the President or not, you will be investigated if you commit wrongdoing.

Malacañang made the warning Monday following fresh reports on the alleged misuse of public funds by 83 lawmakers, including administration allies.

“What we have always maintained is that where the evidence leads, the DOJ (Department of Justice) will investigate. So we will leave it with the DOJ to assess and evaluate…those cases that you referred to,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a televised press briefing.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday detailed how four senators and 79 representatives allocated a total of P1.7 billion from their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to the National Agri-business Corp. (Nabcor), only to be channelled to questionable non-government organizations (NGOs).

“The fact that we already have an ally who was already—who have cases that [have] been filed against him, so that should douse any suspicion or fear that this government is set to protect its allies,” Lacierda added.

Former Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon and Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chair Zenaida Cruz-Ducut, both close allies of President Benigno Aquino III, were among those recommended charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in November last year for their involvement in the pork barrel scam.

In the recent report submitted by former Nabcor officials to the Office of the Ombudsman, among those named were Liberal Party (LP) treasurer and Oriental Mindoro governor Alfonso Umali, LP deputy secretary general and Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) director general Joel Villanueva.

Also included on the list were LP members Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, Iligan City Rep. Vicente Belmonte Jr. and Laguna Rep. Maria Evita “Ivy” Arago.

“I think that’s a situation regardless of whether you are close or not. The President maintains the same principle that where the evidence leads, the DOJ will prosecute, they will investigate,” Lacierda said of Villanueva.

However, the spokesperson also pointed out that the report referred to the years 2007 to 2009.

“You must also remember that this was a time where LP was not in power and a number of these… People during the time belong to different parties,” he said, adding that what might matter more is the affiliation of the officials during that time.

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