As more individuals are implicated in the ever-widening pork barrel scandal, one thing that can be done quickly is to boost the resources of those at the forefront of the battle against the misuse of people’s money.
Prosecutors who secured the unprecedented conviction of a former president, Joseph Estrada, have pointed out that building a strong case took painstaking research, a lot of work beyond office hours, as well as determined sleuthing backed by substantial resources to dig up solid evidence. Conviction for a criminal offense requires establishing guilt beyond reasonable doubt, and the requirement is heavier in a serious crime such as plunder. The task can be daunting especially when the defendant has enormous resources to fight back.
That case against Estrada and his son Jinggoy looks simple compared with the tangled web of offenses believed to have been committed in the misuse of the congressional pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund. The scandal continues to grow as government auditors expand their probe to PDAF utilization in the past three years.
Estrada, despite his conviction for large-scale corruption, kept all of his assets following his immediate pardon. This time authorities are moving to seize ill-gotten assets – a task that requires painstaking effort and more resources. The Bureau of Internal Revenue is looking into the tax payments of those implicated while the Anti-Money Laundering Council is also pursuing leads provided by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Some quarters fear that prosecution of those implicated in the pork barrel scam, particularly influential politicians, could drag on for decades. This possibility can be minimized if more people are on the job and the agencies involved get the necessary logistical support. Those in charge of providing that support should not hesitate to provide it. State auditors, prosecutors, ombudsman investigators, revenue collectors and the anti-money laundering police must be given all the necessary weapons to promote good governance.