BY SAMMY JULIAN
SEVERAL senators were quoted as saying that there is no clear assurance on the resumption of the probe on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.
The key word here is RESUMPTION.
We dare ask: why should the Senate Blue Ribbon committee reopen its investigation into the pork barrel scam?
Legally there is no urgency with the Senate because the case is already with the Ombudsman. Under the law, the Ombudsman is tasked to conduct the investigation and file a case if warranted.
It is not the duty of the legislators to prosecute and since the case is already in the court, we expect the Senate to end its probe on the issue.
Senators are supposed to legislate.
They are supposed to conduct investigations only in aid of legislation. It is not enough that people want to know more. It is not enough that they conduct their probe just to satisfy the people who want to hear the truth.
Sen. Teofisto Guingona “TG” III should, once and for all, declare that they will not reopen the investigation.
But since Sen. Guingona , the Blur Ribbon chair, has kept himself scarce lately, people, even fellow senators, are left hanging on whether the Senate will proceed with its pork barrel hearings.
Several senators even admitted that they have not seen nor even talked on the phone to the Senate Blue Ribbon committee chair for the past few days and were hoping they could meet soon.
As of now, the case in the Sandiganbayan will proceed on its own. While there are still a number of issues the senators need to tackle, they should not be an obstacle in the legal processes.
The case now is in court and, of course, that is one big consideration that Sen. Guingona must take into account./PN
