SENATOR Teofisto Guingona III joined the growing number of people who have criticized Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for claiming that there is no longer any time to pursue the third batch of pork barrel scam cases against officials.
mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles arrived at the
Sandiganbayan courthouse in Quezon City on Friday
for a bail hearing before the anti-graft court’s Third
Division which is hearing the plunder charges against
her. MANNY PALMERO
Guingona rejected the claim of De Lima and said she should just do her job and pursue the cases with the same vigor as that of the first and second batches.
“There’s still (time) up to May next year, ” Guingona said. “While she’s still there she has to do her best.”
When told De Lima is expected to file her certificate of candidacy for senator under the Liberal Party in October, Guingona said she must do the decent thing and resign.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada criticized De Lima for using the issue of the P10-billion pork barrel scam to pursue her political dream of joining the senatorial race in the 2016 elections.
“Apparently and regrettably, it would seem that Secretary de Lima just rode on the issue and used it as publicity stunt in pursuit of her dreams of joining the Senate,” said Estrada.
Estrada said De Lima’s statements where she practically admitted to abandoning other pending cases on the pork barrel scam only proves she is really just after the Senators Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile and Bong Revilla three senators.
“Even from the start, there were only three whom she intended to malign the reputation, send to jail and destroy in their desire to weaken the opposition. And now that they got what they wanted, she’s saying it is no longer their priority to run after the other personalities who might be involved in the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund ) scam,” said Estrada.
The three senators were accused of funnelling their pork barrel funds to fake non-government organizations put up by pork barrel scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles in exchange for huge kickbacks.
“So what would happen now to the other legislators and to the other foundations/non-government organizations identified by the COA in its special audit who were also alleged to have committed irregularities and questionable transactions,” asked Estrada.
Estrada and Revilla have remained in jail at the PNP Custodian Center in Camp Crame. Enrile is at the PNP General Hospital, also inside Camp Crame.
Estrada noted that even the investigation and prosecution of those behind the multi-billion Malamapaya scam has been deliberately neglected and discarded for good.
“Why? Doesn’t the public deserve to know the truth and attain justice? Are they shelving the investigation because they are protecting the allies of the administration?” he further questioned.
De Lima earlier said she is not sure of sure about prioritizing the filing of charges against the third batch of former and current lawmakers linked to the pork barrel anomaly and the second batch of lawmakers implicated in the misuse of the P900-million Malampaya funds.
She said main issue with the third batch of pork barrel cases, being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation, referred to the different signatures from the supposed real signatures of those involved.
On the Malampaya fund scam, De Lima said she was unable to personally monitor developments because she had more urgent cases that she was handling.
The Malampaya fund mess, intended for typhoon victims, pertains to the misuse of the proceeds from the state-owned gas field off Palawan that were diverted to the projects of elected officials.