By Azer N. Parrocha
MANILA, April 2 (PNA) —The Aquino administration is not targeting senators who are members of the opposition with the impending filing of plunder and graft charges against them in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam, a Malacanang official said on Wednesday.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. made the statement following Vice President Jejomar Binay’s written request not to limit the filing of charges to opposition members only.
Binay also said that the President’s allies should also be investigated since two out of three senators linked to the alleged illegal disbursement of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) — Juan Ponce-Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada — are both in the opposition.
Another senator linked to the scam is Senator Ramon Revilla Jr., who is also from a different political party.
“Ang batayang prinsipyo lang na ating sinusunod dito sa simula pa nitong usaping ito ay iyong sinabi ng ating Pangulo: ‘Let the evidence direct the course of the inquiry,’” Coloma said in a Palace media briefing.
“Kaya lahat naman ng isinagawa ng Department of Justice, ng NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), ay patungkol doon sa pagkalap ng ebidensiya,” he added.
Coloma also said that the concerned agencies are only working based on evidence since evidence does not favor anyone, not even allies of the President.
He also said that the Executive branch has nothing to do with the proceedings of the case since the Office of the Ombudsman is the one handling it.
“…Iyon pong kasong iyon ay nasa pangangasiwa na ng Ombudsman, at sa susunod na mga hakbang sa Sandiganbayan, malinaw naman na nasa labas na ito ng sakop ng Ehekutibo,” the PCOO chief said.
“Hindi dapat manghimasok ang Ehekutibo doon sa sakop ng kapangyarihan ng Ombudsman at doon sa Hudikatura. Malinaw po ‘yang nakasaad sa batas,” he added. Meanwhile, Coloma said that Malacanang also “shares the people’s fervent hopes on the final resolution of these cases.” (Philippine News Agency)