Group wants 200 lawyers for pork scam prosecution

MANILA, Philippines - An anti-crime group is gathering 200 lawyer-volunteers to help the government in the prosecution of lawmakers allegedly involved in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

At the Balitaan sa Rembrant over the weekend, Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) chairman Jose Malvar Villegas Jr. said his group had written Justice Secretary Leila de Lima offering to help the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the filing of complaints against those who misused the priority development assistance fund (PDAF).

“The DOJ cannot bring to court all those suspects in the pork barrel scam because it has inadequate manpower,” Villegas said.

He told CCW secretary general Carlo Batalla, a former Camarines Sur board member, to coordinate with the Philippine Trial Lawyers Association, UE Law Center, and other groups from the University of the Philippines.

The CCW was the first to file charges of plunder and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles, five senators and 23 congressmen before the Ombudsman on Sept. 13.

“We have constituted a legal panel headed by lawyer Pete Principe for free legal services of CCW lawyer volunteers, They are ready to sign complaint-affidavits against legislators whose names are in the Commission on Audit report on fund misuse,” Villegas said.

Villegas said they are offering free legal services in their capacity as private citizens and as part of their support for the campaign to abolish PDAF.