A petition is circulating on social media networks urging Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to conduct an impartial investigation of the “grave misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).” The petition was initiated by Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO)-Philippines led by former DECS Undersecretary Isagani Cruz, DECS Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, DENR Secretary Fulgencio Factoran Jr., Senator and Ministry of Industry minister Vicente T. Paterno and Finance Secretary Jesus Estanislao.
The complaint points to a possible connection of the assassination of journalist Marlene Garcia-Esperat to Janet Lim-Napoles who is now at the center of the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam controversy.
Esperat was gunned down by a hired killer on March 24, 2005 while she was having a dinner with her family at home in Tacurong City.
In 2003, Esperat, who was the Department of Agriculture (DA) Resident Ombudsman for Central Mindanao, had filed charges against DA officials on a P432 M fertilizer scam.
Napoles, then a big supplier of liquid fertilizer, was implicated in the even bigger P728M fertilizer fund scam.
The FSGO is calling on the senators and congressmen implicated in the scam to clear their names by voluntarily subjecting themselves to an impartial official investigation by the Ombudsman to determine the extent of their actual involvement in the P10B scam.
It also asks the President to constitute a special committee composed of representatives of DBM, DOJ, and the private sector to review the PDAF process and to recommend safeguards to ensure that the PDAF is not further abused.
The FSGO believes that lawmakers should serve as models for compliance with the law, and that only then can they have the moral authority to exercise oversight powers over the two other branches of government.
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