‘Why were other PDAF lawmakers spared?’

MANILA, Philippines - Anti-pork barrel advocates yesterday slammed the Department of Justice over the third batch of charges relating to the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam that the DOJ filed last week with the Office of the Ombudsman.

There should have been 29 legislators – instead of nine – included in the latest set of charges filed by the DOJ, lawyer Levito Baligod told The STAR.

“This is unfortunate because the desired government’s stance should be to prosecute all. We need to eradicate the sense of impunity among our government officials,” said Baligod, who earlier took part in the justice department’s probe on the PDAF scam cases.

He recalled that the names of all 29 legislators supposedly included in the third batch were based on records provided by scam whistle-blower Benhur Luy as well as other documents from the Commission on Audit (COA) and implementing agencies.

Baligod, who is also Luy’s former counsel, said the third batch of charges only proved selective justice in the administration.

“More than before, I now believe there is selective prosecution on the part of DOJ,” he said.

The sentiment was seconded by Greco Belgica, main petitioner in the Supreme Court ruling that voided the pork barrel funds of lawmakers.

“The selective justice applied in this third batch of PDAF cases… will anger the people. It used selected accused as scapegoats and sacrificial lambs for crimes committed,” Belgica said.

He called on Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and all heads of prosecutorial agencies – who he alleged refused to investigate all those involved in the pork barrel fund scam – to now “resign from their posts to allow impartial and more able men to do what the current officials cannot accomplish.”

“The ombudsman must now begin her constitutional duty to investigate all and secure all evidence from COA and not rely on Benhur Luy’s unofficial files as evidence,” he added.

In separate complaints, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) sought the indictment of nine incumbent and former lawmakers, alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and 30 others for malversation, direct bribery and graft and violations of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Ac) for allegedly pocketing varying amounts from PDAF.

Among those charged were Sen. Gringo Honasan, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) director general Joel Villanueva, Cagayan De Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing.