- Monday, February 24, 2014
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‘Pork’ probe won’t spare palace allies
Thorough screening of potential state witnesses assured
Manila, Philippines — Allies of the administration will not be spared from the investigation of the P10-billion pork barrelscam.
Malacañang assured this yesterday after former Technology Resource Center (TRC) director general Dennis Cunanan, who is already admitted as provisional state witness, linked Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Joel Villanueva and former Bureau of Customs (BoC) chief Ruffy Biazon to the pork barrel scam.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that as far as the Executive Branch is concerned, the probe will go where the evidence leads.
The President has clearly stated that what we want here is to seek out the truth and we will go where the evidence leads us, which will be gathered by our investigators and shown by the witnesses, Valte said.
She, however, said that Villanueva has already given his assurance that he will cooperate in the investigation of the pork barrel scam.
When news linking him to the pork barrel scam first broke out, Villanueva already vehemently denied any involvement as he expressed readiness to face and cooperate in the investigation, Valte said.
Cunanan tagged Villanueva as one of several lawmakers who allegedly coursed their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to the TRC through bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles when he was still a party-list congressman representing the Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) during the Arroyo administration.
Biazon, meanwhile, is part of the second batch of individuals recommended by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for filing of charges in connection with the pork barrel scam.
TESDA’s Joel Villanueva has been named as one of several lawmakers who allegedly coursed their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to the TRC through bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles when he was still a party-list congressman representing the Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) during the Arroyo administration.
Meanwhile, Valte said the Department of Justice (DOJ) will screen the testimonies of former officials of the National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor), who had expressed willingness to tell all on the pork barrel scam.
But Valte said not all those who want to testify on the pork barrel scam will be admitted as a state witness.
“[Justice] Secretary [Leila] de Lima has already made this clear na hindi lahat ng nagvo-volunteer ay kukunin ng DOJ [that not all who volunteer will be admitted by the DOJ as a state witness],” Valte said.
They will screen all testimonies and evaluate whether these testimonies will have an impact on the cases filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, she said.
Just like what Sec. De Lima had already said, if they just keep on repeating what they say and there is nothing new in their statements, then there is no reason for the DOJ to admit them as state witnesses, Valte said.
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