MANILA, Philppines - Militant group Bayan on Thursday doubted if government officials, especially allies of President Benigno Aquino III, implicated in the priority development assistance fund or pork barrel scam would be held accountable.
"The bigger test for the Department of Justice is still the multi-billion peso PDAF scam, and whether those involved, including allies of the Aquino administration, will be held to account," Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said.
Earlier, the Department of Justice issued an arrest warrant against the scam's alleged mastermind, Janet Lim-Napoles, for serious illegal detention.
"As calls for the abolition of congressional and presidential pork mount, the people await the results of the probe conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation. It remains to be seen if Napoles and the politicians and other government officials who disbursed the PDAF will actually be charged for the scam," Reyes added.
He also accused both the House of Representatives and Senate accused of virtually covering up the PDAF disbursement scam for refusing to open any probe on the controversy.
"What is disturbing is that President Aquino’s allies in both chambers of Congress have refused to open any probe into the conduct of the PDAF disbursements. Congress has become complicit in the Napoles cover up," Reyes said.
Bayan reiterated the call for the abolition of the congressional and presidential pork barrel and discretionary funds.
"We demand that these funds be re-channeled to public services such as health, education and housing among others. We demand that those responsible for plunder be made fully accountable," the group said.