By Philip Jr Lustre One of Jinggoy Estradas oft-repeated refrains in his efforts to turn the table against COA chief Grace Pulido Tan is the disdainful question on who determines whether the NGOs that handled PDAF were bogus or not. As his way of exculpating himself of any responsibility or culpability, Jinggoy kept on repeating the argument that the implementing agencies, not the lawmakers, should determine the legitimacy of the assigned NGOs. Of course, the COA chief, a lawyer herself, knew how to stand on her ground. Hence, she dropped the unexpected bombshell at todays budget hearings at the Senate. According to her, the lawmakers themselves or their representatives have signed memoranda of agreement, or memoranda of understanding, or memoranda or undertaking (they are plural and couched in different language), attesting to the legitimacy of the NGOs, which the lawmakers had identified to be the implementing partners of the implementing state agencies. Jinggoy could not answer Pulido-Tans assertion; the COA have in its possession those MOAs, MOUs, and MOTs, which were duly signed by the lawmakers themselves and their representatives. So it was not only Jinggoy, who signed these kind of documents; his colleagues did it too. These documents would form part of the smoking gun evidence, which the state prosecutors would present to the appropriate forum that would handle the P10-billion pork barrel scam. Apparently, Jinggoy did not know that they have signed documents that contain the incriminating provision that it would be the lawmakers, who would be responsible on the issue of legitimacy of the implementing NGOs. Because of their apparent greed, they did not know that what they have signed were their virtual death warrants. They could only blame themselves. Officials of those implementing agencies knew that they have to have some leeway to escape prosecution and responsibility. After all, these lawmakers would come to their office, brandishing their power over the purse and bullying them to follow their wishes. At the back of their mind, they told themselves: Who are they to deny the lawmakers wish? But we would give them rope that would hang their necks. Jinggoy has a lot to answer before the Filipino people. I would not be surprised if he goes to jail by next year. He knows it would come - sooner or later...
Posted on: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:06:37 +0000
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