Drilon rejects calls for independent truth commission to probe ‘pork’ scam

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Senate President Franklin Drilon rejected on Tuesday the proposed creation of an independent commission that would  handle the “pork barrel” scam, saying the  power to investigate  anti-graft cases belongs to the  Ombudsman.

“Unang-una, kailangang pag-aralan dahil sa ating batas ngayon, ang may kapangyarihan na mag imbestiga ng anti-graft cases ay ang Ombudsman. Hindi po natin pwedeng ilipat ‘yan sa isang independent commission,” Drilon said over DWIZ.

(First and foremost, we need to study (the proposal) because under existing law, the Ombudsman has the power to investigate the anti-graft cases. We can’t transfer that (power) to an independent commission)

“At ‘yung prosecution at pag imbestiga ng anti-graft cases ay nasa Ombudsman, sang ayon po sa ating Saligang Batas. Kaya palagay ko malapit nang madesisyunan ng ating Ombudsman ang kaso kaya konting hintay na lang. Hindi na kailangan ang independent commission dahil mag-aakto na ang Ombdusman,” he said.

(The prosecution and investigation of anti-graft cases belong to the Ombudsman based on our Constitution. And I think, the Ombudsman will soon decide on the case so let’s wait a little while. There’s no need  to have an independent commission because the Ombudsman will act on it.)

No less than the Ombudsman, he said, had promised to immediately act on the issue.

Senator Antonio Trillanes III is among those who are pushing for  the  creation of an independent commission, saying the Senate  investigation on the “pork barrel” scam has  distracted the chamber from doing its main job.

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