Cayetano calls for daily trials for pork scam

By Office of the Senate Majority Leader
February 26, 2014

PASAY CITY – Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter “Companero” S. Cayetano is pushing for daily trials to be held on the P10-billion pork barrel scam through the designation of special criminal courts by the Supreme Court.

“Isang pwedeng maging legacy ng ating Supreme Court ngayon ay ang pagsasagawa ng continuous trial nang mapabilis ang hearing ng lahat ng ito pag nakarating ito sa korte,” Cayetano said.

The senator issued the call amidst concerns and fears that political affiliations and loyalties may render meaningless all of the efforts of the present administration in weeding out graft and corruption in government, particularly the case filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against those involved in the pork barrel scandal.

Earlier, Vice President Jejomar Binay – a declared presidential aspirant – issued statements belittling the DOJ’s efforts in going after those involved in the pork barrel scam, some of whom are his staunch allies in the opposition.

Cayetano said Binay’s statements are raising fears from the ranks of the pork scam whistleblowers and state witnesses that the case might be abandoned once he wins as president.

“Ang iba, inaasahan nila na magkakaroon ng change of administration in 2016. Tapos ang nakaupo doon ay maglalagay ng DOJ at ng NBI officials na hindi sing-init ngayon. Huwag mong sasabihin na itong mga akusado ay walang pera at walang political clout,” he said.

“Ang akusado, lalo kung malaki ang pera, malaki ang impluwensya. Nasasakripisyo ang hustisya sa politika.”

Cayetano said that the unfortunate reality is that the administration of justice in the country moves at a glacial pace, and the resolution of the pork barrel scandal case, if it even reaches the courts, might go beyond 2016.

“Ang ating hustisya sa bansa ay napakabagal. Katulad ng Ampatuan massacre, after four years, wala pang nangyayari. Halos isang taon na ang rebelasyon ng PDAF scam, pero wala pang formally na nakakasuhan sa korte,” he said.