DOJ asks for more time to decide on 3rd batch of complaints on PDAF scam

Department of Justice. Photo courtesy of doj.gov.ph

MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) asked for more time on Monday to decide on the third batch of complaints involving the misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The DOJ was expected to have decided on the third batch of PDAF scam cases last week.

However, Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima said on Monday that she is still waiting for more documents.

De Lima also said that she will again meet on Wednesday with Justice Undersecretary Jose Justiniano, the one helping in the investigation of the PDAF scam.

She added that she is expecting the documents she is requesting will also be submitted on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, De Lima could not yet say whether the DOJ-National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is ready to file the cases before the Office of the Ombudsman because there are still many things that are being done.

Some of the former lawmakers allegedly included in the third batch of PDAF cases claimed that their respective signatures were forged, hence, they should not be included in the complaint.

The DOJ-NBI is currently studying whether the said defense of the former lawmakers is sufficient basis in order to exclude them from the third batch of complaints.