Senator Chiz Escudero wants a fresh investigation into the misuse of the P10-billion Priority Development Assistant Fund (PDAF) to identify the rest of the money that went into the hands of individuals and various non-government organizations similar to the bogus people’s organizations created by suspected pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles.
Escudero, however, said that he would like to see first how the probe by the Department of Justice (DOJ) will pan out.
According to the legislator, he will file a resolution so the Senate can initiate a new probe if the DOJ fails to include all other parties who must be held accountable for their involvement in the PDAF scandal.
“Kung maayos naman ay hahayaan nalang namin yung ahensyang gawin yung kanilang trabaho. Para sa akin kasi, bibihira ako maghain ng resolusyon. Naghahain lang ako ng imbestigasyon pag nakikita ko at naniniwala ako na hindi ginagampanan ng mga ahensyang dapat mag-imbestiga yung kanilang trabaho,” the lawmaker said.
Out of the total amount involved in the fraudulent scheme, more than P6 billion was linked to Napoles’ group, and the senator said that some individuals and other fake NGOs should be similarly scrutinized to track down funds which have remained unaccounted for up to this day.
“Sa dinami-dami ng pangalang binanggit ni Ginang Napoles, ano nang nangyari sa mga kasong ‘yun? Nasampahan ba o hindi? Dapat sana maresolbahan rin ang mga kasong ‘yun. Hindi lamang para mapanagot ang may sala pero para malinis din ang pangalan ng mga nagkataong binanggit lamang at nadawit ang pangalan na wala namang ginawang mali o anomaly,” he added.
Escudero has long been pushing the Senate to continue its investigation even after plunder charges were filed against some senators, congressmen and individuals involved in the scam. In 2013, he filed a resolution calling on the Senate to prove the PDAF scandal.