MANILA, Philippines - The House committee on justice will start today its investigation into the alleged misuse of the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) even as lawmakers said the probe was not meant to seek revenge on members of the Supreme Court (SC) for their ruling on the administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali Jr., chairman and vice chairman of the panel, respectively, said the inquiry will be impartial.
“I will make sure that the committee will be fair and objective in the hearing,” Tupas said.
There was no word yet on whether Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno or her representative will appear before the House investigation.
The high tribunal manages and disburses the JDF.
Tupas said they have invited the high court’s administrator, assistant administrator and resident auditor, as well as representatives from the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management.
“We can guarantee that the probe will not be a venue for what some perceive as retaliatory action by lawmakers over SC’s adverse rulings,” Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said, referring to the high court’s decisions declaring key portions of the DAP and the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional.
Barzaga, one of the proponents of the investigation, said he wants transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.
Umali, who has been seeking the impeachment of several SC justices since last year, said his questions will be “factual and with basis.”
Tupas said the panel will first tackle the background of the JDF.