Pork Barrel Scam CHIZ ASKS BLUE RIBBON CHAIR GUINGONA TO PROBE 64 MORE NGOs FOR P4-B PDAF

The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines – Don’t stop the probe.

This was Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s advice to Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III as he urged the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to continue the panel’s inquiry into the alleged pork barrel scam by investigating 64 more non-government organizations (NGO) that are not identified with detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

According to Escudero, the alleged corruption of the lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) through the 64 NGO-conduits is much bigger than what was said to have been amassed and pocketed by Napoles and her alleged lawmaker-clients through the businesswoman’s eight shell foundations.

“Para sa akin tamang ipagpatuloy ‘yong resolution ko na lahat ng NGO na sangkot doon sa COA report. Walo lamang na Napoles NGO ang naimbestigahan, meron pang 64. At iyong napunta kay Napoles P2 billion lang, iyong napunta sa 64 ay humigit kumulang P4 billion,” Escudero said in a text message sent to reporters on Wednesday.

[For me, it’s right to continue my resolution to include all NGOs implicated in the Commission on Audit report. Only eight Napoles NGOs were investigated, there’s still 64 more. Only P2 billion went to Napoles NGOs, the 64 others got more or less P4 billion.]

Escudero added that if Guingona indeed wanted to put a stop to the scheme of converting public funds into kickbacks via the use of dubious organizations, the Senate panel should continue the probe to unmask everyone who had a hand in the scam.

“Sen. Guingona should keep proving other NGOs, the remaining 64 NGOs had the same modus operandi involving over P4 billion,” Escudero said.

Escudero said he remained hopeful that Guingona would continue the PDAF scam probe after recommending that senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and Napoles be charged with plunder for allegedly colluding to convert pork barrel funds into kickbacks.

He said that based on his understanding, the committee report against the three senators and Napoles issued on Tuesday by Guingona’s panel was not the final report on the scam. “Itong committee report di naman nangangahulugan na final committee report. Ito ay tungkol lang sa Napoles, iyon ang pagkakaunawa ko sa press conference ni Sen. Guingona,” Escudero said.

Earlier, Estrada lamented on the committee’s failure to include in its probe the other NGOs mentioned in the COA report including other lawmakers from the administration who were also being linked to the scam.

“Why did the committee just concentrate on the non-government organizations connected to Janet Napoles when resolutions were filed directing the body to also look into the other NGOs, which received even bigger funds from the PDAF,? Estrada said.

“Didn’t the chair also find merit in the prosecution and filing of charges against Ruby Tuason and Dennis Cunanan who were also said to have benefitted from the so-called pork barrel scam?,’ he said.

“Why concentrate on just the three of us? What happened to the other legislators mentioned by Benhur Luy in his testimonies?,” Estrada added.