Malacanang silent on new pork scam case

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda

MANILA — Malacanang remains mum on the allegations of a new P500-million pork barrel scam.

The case before the Office of the Ombudsman allegedly included President Aquino’s close allies.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing that Malacanang will leave the case to the Office of the Ombudsman.

He added that it would be “imprudent” for them to talk about the actions being taken on the case.

“We will leave it and we will defer to the Office of the Ombudsman all investigations of impropriety, and far from us to comment on either or in any phase of any investigation,” he said.

The documents given to Philippine Daily Inquirer revealed that 20 current and former lawmakers, which includes Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon Revilla Jr., ex Sen. Edgardo Angara, among others, are accused of channeling about P500 million from their pork barrel allocations to dubious nongovernment organizations (NGOs).