Ombudsman: Pork barrel probe completed before yearend

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman expects to finish by yearend its probe into the pork barrel scam in relation to the plunder and graft charges filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and 34 other individuals.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales yesterday said the results of the preliminary investigation that will determine if criminal cases will indeed be filed against the respondents before the Sandiganbayan might be released before Christmas.

“I will be dishonest if I will tell you no. It will be this year,” she told reporters in a chance interview after she closed the 2nd Ombudsman Integrity Lecture on “The Essentials of Overcoming Corruption” at the New World Hotel Makati.

Morales said investigators of the anti-graft agency are getting closer toward resolving the first batch of criminal charges lodged by the NBI last September.

“Closer, of course. Keep your lines open, you’ll get a notice from the Office of the Ombudsman when the time is up for us to release our findings,” she said.

“Now don’t ask any more questions because I’ll tell lies,” she added in jest in anticipation of more questions about specific details which she obviously did not want to answer.

The NBI filed plunder, graft and other charges against Enrile, Revilla, Estrada, Napoles and 34 other lawmakers, government officials, and private individuals last Sept. 16.

Based on its investigation, the Department of Justice said the respondents pocketed hundreds of millions in taxpayers’ money through ghost or overpriced projects using pork barrel funds in collusion with Napoles and her fake non-government organizations.

Enrile, Revilla and Estrada were specifically accused of receiving P172.8 million, P224.5 million and P183.7 million, respectively, in commissions, rebates, or kickbacks.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who spearheaded the filing of the complaints that was personally received by Morales, said a total of 38 individuals were named in the criminal cases, with 22 of them facing the non-bailable charge of plunder.