MANILA, Philippines–“The public can’t help but conclude that the chair is not after the truth or justice, only cheap publicity.” This is what Sen. Jinggoy Estrada had to say on Tuesday, as he slammed Sen. Teofisto Guingona III for his seeming disinclination towards resuming hearings on the pork barrel controversy.
Estrada pointed out in a statement that if they really wanted to, the Senate blue ribbon committee – of which Guingona is the chairperson – could resume its hearings on the scam.
“If the panel is truly interested in arriving at the truth and instituting lasting reforms, it will continue to hold hearings anytime, get to the bottom of the issue and investigate even its own allies and party mates. Otherwise, it will throw every conceivable excuse—budget deliberation, schedule conflicts, gathering of more information, etc.—to justify its negligent inaction,” Estrada said.
The statement of Estrada was made in reaction to Guingona’s earlier announcement that he would rather focus on the 2015 budget over resuming hearings on the pork barrel scam, at this point.
The committee has released a partial report, in which it recommended an internal purging of the Senate; based on the filing of criminal charges against three senators involved in the scam.
Estrada likewise bashed Guingona for abandoning the hearings midway, sans a formal and solid conclusion.
The senator, who is one of three lawmakers accused and behind bars relative to the controversy, noted that Guingona’s decision to push the hearings aside comes as no surprise to him, since – in his opinion – they already got their targets in the persons of Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile and Bong Revilla. All three senators have been arrested on plunder and graft charges for misuse of their discretionary funds.
“Is anyone surprised by Senator Guingona’s statement? No one. The statement was expected from the committee chair as according to him the purpose of the overly protracted investigation has already been achieved; i.e. for me, to see the three target senators in jail,” Estrada said.
In similar vein, a survey conducted by polling body, Pulse Asia showed that a majority of Filipinos deem the hearings to be unfair; responding that these proceedings seem to focus only on lawmakers aligned with the opposition.