Aquino dares critics: Charge my dishonest allies

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III is challenging critics to file cases against his allies who have been perceived to be corrupt.

"The courts are open. If they think that I have dishonest people around me, then all they have to do is file an appropriate case," Aquino responded to a question in a forum at Harvard University.

Aquino said the Office of the Ombudsman will even investigate unsigned or anonymous complaints just "to ferret out those who are not treading the correct path."

The president's remarks came after a consumers' group filed plunder and graft charges against Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima for allegedly amassing ill-gotten wealth.

Purisima, one of the officials known to be close to the Aquinos, has been accused of hiding the true value of his alleged mansion in Nueva Ecija and receiving bribes for the construction of another mansion inside Camp Crame.

Another Aquino ally, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, also remains hounded by corruption allegations after the Disbursement Acceleration Program he crafted was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Abad was also implicated in the pork barrel scam by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles herself, the central figure in the controversy.

In his policy speech in Harvard and during his trip to Europe, Aquino trumpeted the detention of allegedly corrupt officials including former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Sens. Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. -Louis Bacani