PACC to sue Trillanes over alleged ghost lamp post project

The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) said it will file a case against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV over his alleged use of the discredited Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) to fund a non-existent lamp post project, PACC Executive Director Eduardo Bringas said on Tuesday.

“May na-prepare na kami na complaint. Inaayos lang namin, and then siguro one of these days baka mag-file na kami sa Ombudsman,” Bringas said in an interview with reporters during the commission's signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Commission on Audit on the strengthening of information-sharing between the two government entities.

Trillanes, however, is not covered by the PACC’s scope, according to Executive Order No. 43, series of 2017.

Section 5 of EO 43 states that the PACC covers “presidential appointees in the Executive Branch of government and any of its agencies or instrumentalities occupying the position of Assistant Regional Director or an equivalent rank and higher, otherwise classified as Salary Grade 26 and higher.”

Bringas, however, insisted that the PACC cannot be prevented from conducting an investigation and lifestyle checks against elected officials and lawmakers such as Trillanes.

“What I'm saying is that under EO 43, we are given authority to conduct lifestyle check and fact-finding on all government officials, not necessarily presidential appointees,” Bringas said.

He said they will forward the complaint against Trillanes before the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice as soon as they complete their case.

PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica accused Trillanes last year of using an unspecified amount of DAP funds for a lamp post project that was never implemented.

Belgica's accusation came before the creation of the PACC. He, however, did not give more details about the project and the identity of the municipality so as "to protect our people on the ground.” — BM, GMA News