Baligod: DOJ turning back on pork barrel scam cases

The Department of Justice seemed to be turning its back on the fight against corruption with Justice Secretary Leila De Lima's announcement that the DOJ had more important cases to handle than the third batch of cases in connection with the pork barrel scam, the former lawyer of some of the whistleblowers said on Tuesday.

Baligod said he would be forced to sue the persons implicated in the third batch of pork cases if De Lima insisted on not prioritizing the filing of cases with the Ombudsman.

In a press conference in Manila, Baligod urged the Justice secretary to reconsider pursuing the third batch of cases related to the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund, despite her earlier admission that her hands are full with other more "urgent and very important matters."

"Sana aksyunan nila ang tinatawag nating third batch.... Ikinalulungkot ko ito dahil parang umaatras ang ating Department of Justice (DOJ) sa laban sa korupsyon," Baligod said.

He said his optimism was boosted last year when De Lima gave a "commitment" that even administration allies would be included in the third batch of cases.

"[Pero] lumipas ang halos isang taon ay parang hindi pa handa ang Department of Justice," said Baligod, recalling how De Lima had said in June 2014 that it would be a matter of weeks before the third batch gets filed with the Ombudsman.

Baligod said if by June, the third batch is still not yet lodged, "mukhang tayo na lang po mismo ang magpa-file sa Ombudsman." He said at least 34 other congressmen, the identities of whom he refused to reveal, have yet to be indicted over the pork barrel scam.

Baligod, however, admitted not yet being settled if his camp would indeed run directly to the Ombudsman, saying he fears that they "will run the risk of having these [cases] dismissed on the ground of a violation of the right to speedy trial or speedy disposition of cases."

"Kaya nga idinadaan muna sa DOJ para madaling ma-digest," he added.

Baligod said he had already written De Lima last January reminding her about the third batch of pork cases, but the Justice secretary has yet to respond.

The lawyer expressed "alarm over the attitude" of De Lima, when the latter said in an interview last week that the DOJ could not focus on the third batch of pork cases because she was busy attending to "more urgent and very important" matters that should be complete before she leaves the DOJ

In response to Baligod's statements, De Lima in a text message to reporters on Monday said she was merely stating a fact when she said she had a lot on her table.

"Indeed there are very important and urgent matters on my table. At any given time, I need to attend to several priority matters/assignments simultaneously or almost simultaneously," De Lima said.

"I already repeatedly said why the third batch is still on hold," she added.

De Lima was referring to her previous statements claiming that investigators hit a snag over the third batch when they found out that the signatures of the lawmakers implicated do not match with those found in the pork barrel fund scam documents.

"Pero pinapa-ano ko pa rin on how to really go through that na pwede pa rin maisampa iyong kaso," De Lima had earlier said.

But on Tuesday, Baligod recalled that alleged forgery of signatures also plagued the first two batches of pork cases, which just the same got pushed through and were filed with the Ombudsman.

"It is only the court that can declare if signatures are falsified. Marami pang documents na nag-papakita ng misuse of public funds. Sa tinging ko malabnaw na reason itong sa falsification [of signatures]," said Baligod.

De Lima had said investigators are merely trying to make sure that the third batch of pork barrel fund scam cases "would stick, just like the first two batches."

New complaints

Baligod said his camp was already preparing yet another fresh batch of complaints, still involving fund misuse through non-government organizations but no longer connected with Janet Lim-Napoles.

But with De Lima's recent pronouncement, Baligod said "the Department of Justice [was] sending a chilling effect on us ordinary citizens who want to contribute and address corruption."

Baligod refused to give further details on this new batch, saying he was still gathering more evidence.

The first batch PDAF-related criminal charges were lodged in September 2013 against 38 individuals, including Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr, and Jinggoy Estrada, as well as alleged fund scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

The second batch, filed two months later in November 2013, involved graft complaints against former Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon and 33 others over the alleged misuse of "pork barrel" funds.

In between the two batches of PDAF cases, the DOJ also filed a first batch of Malampaya-related plunder complaint with the Ombudsman, charging former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Napoles, and 20 others.

It has been a year and five months since the second batch of pork barrel scam cases was filed.

The two batches of pork barrel scam complaints were filed in connection with the supposed diversion of money from the PDAF to spurious projects supposedly implemented by NGOs linked to Napoles. Government officials allegedly ended up splitting the money with Napoles. -NB, GMA News