De Lima backtracks: 3rd batch of pork cases still DOJ priority

MANILA, Philippines – After drawing criticisms, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday, May 12, backtracked on her earlier statement that the filing of the third batch of cases on the pork barrel scam were no longer at the top of the priority list. 

“I know there are many who are now criticizing me with respect to that, and I take this opportunity to clarify that I did not say that this is no longer a priority. It still remains to be a priority, only that, there are still may other cases that are also our priority,” De Lima told reporters. 

The justice secretary said she was set to meet with Justice Undersecretary Jose Justiniano Tuesday afternoon. 

She said she will “probably” give Justiniano two weeks to make a final recommendation – depending on the undersecretary’s schedule. 

Justiniano is also part of the Ombudsman’s prosecution team in the pork barrel scam cases that are being heard in the Sandiganbayan. 

Three incumbent senators and 5 former congressmen and women are facing plunder and graft charges over the scam, the biggest corruption scandal to hit the country in recent years. 

The pork barrel scam involves an elaborate scheme to steal lawmakers’ discretionary funds through the use of non-governmental organizations.

De Lima earlier said investigators hit a roadblock in the third batch of cases after their probe revealed that some of the signatures that appeared in the documents were faked. 

“That is the only aspect that is still being scrutinized – what would be the effect of that, of findings that there are fake signatures. I’m going to…give that instruction to Usec JJ if he can focus on this now, if he can insert this in his schedule, on top of his [work] at the Sandiganbayan, his assignment with the Ombudsman,” De Lima said.

Lawyer Levito Baligod, former counsel of pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy, earlier warned the Department of Justice that he would file the cases himself if government investigators fail to do so. – Rappler.com