DOJ to probe DAP misuse

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) will investigate the alleged misuse of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) during the previous administration.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the probe would also look into possible liabilities of former and current officials who supposedly benefited from schemes under the economic stimulus program that was partially declared illegal by the Supreme Court.

“We will look into that (anomaly in the DAP),” Aguirre told The STAR. He said there are plans to create a team to conduct the fact-finding probe.

Aguirre revealed the investigation would cover former president Benigno Aquino III and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and how they supposedly benefited from the scheme.

Duterte on Sunday said the former president, former budget secretary Florencio Abad and Trillanes had benefited from the DAP.

Duterte has alleged the Aquino administration continued to implement the DAP even after the Supreme Court in 2014 struck down most of its provisions for being unconstitutional.

Duterte vowed to expose how P72 billion in funds under the DAP were misused.

“The President is in possession of documents showing how officials in the previous administration benefited from it,” Aguirre said.

The DOJ has concurrent jurisdiction with the Office of the Ombudsman in investigating corruption charges against government officials even if the anti-graft office has the exclusive power to prosecute the cases under the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.

Last month, the Office of the Ombudsman indicted Abad before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Article 239, or usurpation of legislative powers over the controversial DAP but spared Aquino.