Drilon vows no selective justice over ‘pork’ misuse

MANILA, Philippines - There will be no “selective justice” in the government’s action against lawmakers who misused their pork barrel funds, Senate President Franklin Drilon said yesterday.

Drilon assured the public that the law would not favor anybody, regardless of rank and position in government.

“We must all work toward prosecution of those who are found involved in the misuse of PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund). If there is evidence enough to convict an accused lawmaker, be it a congressman or a senator, let’s jail him. Likewise, those innocent should be acquitted,” Drilon said.

He said there is a functioning justice system that will clear the innocent and punish the guilty, pointing out the country has enough laws penalize erring and corrupt government officials.

“We will never shield corrupt officials from being punished,” Drilon said.

He said the priority is to prosecute those involved and ensure that those who misused public funds will be held accountable for their actions.

Drilon echoed Malacañang’s statements that justice will remain among the top priorities of the Aquino administration.

“That is the reason why we are now working toward holding accountable those who have taken advantage of the loopholes in the system,” he added.

Drilon said the Senate under his leadership will guarantee the truth will come out and that those who will be found guilty beyond reasonable doubt will be punished.

Jinggoy: What about the others?

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada earlier bewailed what he called selective justice in implicating several lawmakers that had included him in the pork barrel scam.

Estrada also reiterated his call for the justice department to make good its promise that the agency will also expedite the filing of charges against other lawmakers who misused their PDAF, which were also subject of the special audit of the Commission on Audit (COA) for 2007 to 2009.

“Every individual found to have used fake or bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) mentioned in the COA report should face charges. What about the congressmen?” Estrada asked.

Estrada is facing a plunder complaint before the Ombudsman with Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.

Estrada early on accused the administration of imploring “selective justice” in the filing of plunder complaints against the political opposition and perceived enemies in the 2016 elections.

Some of the congressmen identified in the COA report were Douglas Cagas, Constantino Jaraula, Arrel Olano, Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, Manuel Ortega, Edwin Chiongban, Samuel Dangwa, Rodolfo Valencia, Amado Bagatsing, Emmanuel Joel Villanueva, Rodolfo Plaza, and Victor Francisco Ortega.

The NGOs linked to controversial pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles included the Agri and Economic Program for Farmers Foundation, Inc. (AEPFFI); Agricultura Para sa Magbubukid Foundation (APMFI); Countrywide Agri and Rural Economic Development (CARED) Foundation; Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation, Inc. (MAMFI); People’s Organization for Progress and Development Foundation (POPDFI); Philippine Agri and Social Development Foundation Inc.; Philippine Social Development Foundation, Inc. (PSDFI) and the Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation, Inc. (SDPFFI).