Sandra Cam: DOJ ‘has double standards’ when dealing with witnesses

The head of the Whistleblowers Association of the Philippines on Monday said she agrees "101 percent" with Sen. Nancy Binay's accusation that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has "double standards" when dealing with individuals seeking admission into the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Sandra Cam, herself a former whistleblower, said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has a history of turning down prospective state witnesses whose testimony would have been critical of the government.

"I agree with Senator Binay with her sentiments because if you are a witness against a political opponent of the administration, they would do that, they would secure you,” Cam told reporters on Monday.

“But if you are against government officials, naku, thank you na lang...This Secretary of Justice is a double-standard woman. Huwag na siyang magmaang-maangan at magmalinis,” she added.

Binay earlier criticized the DOJ for taking its own “sweet time” in processing the application of Rhodora Alvarez, the whistleblower in the P1.2-billion Armed Forces of the Philippines chopper deal.

On the other hand, Binay said, the DOJ is giving special treatment to former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado, who is now in the WPP. Mercado is one of the whistleblowers in the corruption claims against the senator’s father, Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Agreeing with Binay’s observation, Cam cited three cases in which she said De Lima and the DOJ were “selective” of the witnesses they would be giving government protection and placing under the WPP.

One of them was the case of prison guard Makilala Kabungsuan, who sought witness protection from the DOJ in 2012 for exposing alleged rampant prostitution inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

Cam said Makilala was initially given temporary protection, but this was eventually withdrawn after a panel of investigators found probable cause to criminally charge Bureau of Corrections director Gaudencio Pangilinan.

The BuCor chief later resigned, and Kabungsuan was “thrown away” to the Davao Penal Colony, according to Cam.

“Nandoon siya ngayon, naghihirap doon dahil pinatapon nila at wala siya sa [witness protection] program,” said Cam.

The second case was that of the seven overseas Filipino workers who were raped and victimized by the sex-for-flight scheme in the Middle East.

“Nagyabang pa si De Lima noon at nagsabi sa Kongreso na poproteksyunan ang mag babae. Pero nung pumunta iyong mga babae, hindi niya hinarap. Bakit? Kasi these women were against labor attaches. They are government officials,” she said.

Without protection from the government, some of the OFW victims, Cam said, have been instead forced to go abroad once more to look for jobs.

“These women whistleblowers are against the administration, so wala sila [government] pakialam. Pero kung alam nila [government] na kaya nilang gamitin against the opposition, bibilisan nila,” said Cam.

"Ako na mismo nagsabi sa mga babae huwag na kayo lumutang kasi you are just placing yourselves at risk,” she added.

The third case Cam cited is that of the Immigration official who turned into a whistleblower in the supposed escape of former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes, wanted for the killing of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerardo “Gerry” Ortega in 2011.

“Witness siya sa pag-alis ni Joel Reyes. Nilagay ba nila sa witness protection? Hindi,” said Cam, adding that the whistleblower now has been left to fend for himself and his family. “Ngayon, kung saan-saan na lang sila ng pamilya niya,” she said.

Cam appeared at the Senate in June 2014 to oppose the confirmation of De Lima before the Commission on Appointments.

'Check the facts'

In a separate interview on Monday, De Lima denied Senator Binay's claim that the DOJ has been sitting on Alvarez's WPP application.

"She has been issued provisional admission already, kaya nagtataka ako dun sa lumalabas na report na hindi ko inaaksyunan," De Lima told reporters.

After Sen. Teofisto Guingona III recommended government protection for Alvarez, De Lima said she immediately tasked the WPP to evaluate Alvarez's case. De Lima said the WPP on June 23 decided to place ALvarez on provisional admission to the WPP "subject to re-evaluation every six months."

"So, ano yung sinasabi nila na hindi ko inaksyunan? And I think less than two weeks yung gap! Nung from the time Senator TG referred that to me, less than two weeks yung naging aksyon ng WPP diyan," said De Lima.

De Lima urged Binay and Cam to "check the facts" first before accusing her and the DOJ of having double standards in dealing with WPP applications. — BM, GMA News@gmanews.tv>