3rd batch of ‘pork’ cases to be filed Friday or early next week—De Lima

Department of Justice. INQUIRER.net/RYAN LEAGOGO

MANILA, Philippines–The Department of Justice is now ready to file the third batch of cases against those allegedly involved in the pork barrel scam probably on Friday or early next week, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said.

“Nagde-decide pa kami kung kailan but ready na actually…” De Lima told reporters before her confirmation hearing at the Senate.

(We are still deciding when (to file the cases), but they are already ready actually.)

“We’re just looking an appropriate date. Like tomorrow is a holiday. It can be on Friday, it can be early next week.”

“I’ll discuss it again maybe this afternoon with NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) kung pwedeng pwede na talaga (if we can already file the cases). But as I see it, pwede na (we can),” she added.

De Lima refused to provide more details about the third batch of cases except saying that this would involve “several” lawmakers and the number of respondents was a little more than the first and second batches.

“This third batch I think is going to be the last batch for that. But that it doesn’t mean that’s going to be the last batch for PDAF cases, lalo na ongoing pa rin ang fact-finding ng IAGC sa kabuaan ng PDAF (especially because the IAGC’s fact-finding on the PDAF’s scope is still ongoing),” said De Lima.

PDAF is Priority Development Assistance Fund also known as pork barrel while IAGC is Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Council.

Asked if the third batch would include certain senators or Cabinet members, the Justice Secretary said: “I can’t say. I can’t confirm nor deny.”

“I’m just being consistent du’n sa stance namin ng DOJ at NBI that we can only name names, we can only tell you who are being charged at that time we are charging them. We can’t be prematurely disclosing those names,” she added.

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