Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday bewailed as “a clear political harassment” the filing before the Office of the Ombudsman of a malversation case against him over the alleged misuse of the Disbursement Acceleration Program funds in 2011.
“Complaint is a clear political harassment, and is expected as we commence 2019 election campaign season,” said Drilon in a text message to reporters.
Drilon’s partymate in the Liberal Party Senator Francis Pangilinan, branded as “stupidity” the filing last Monday of the case by Presidential Anti-Corruption Commissioner Greco Belgica.
Drilon is the chairman while Pangilinan is the president of LP, the ruling party during the previous administration.
Also named as respondents are former President Benigno Aquino III, opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and several Cabinet members of the previous administration.
Pangilinan believes that the filing of “fabricated” case against the administration’s critics was just another diversion from the real issue of corruption against certain individuals identified with the Duterte administration.
Until now, he said no charges have been filed against President Rodrigo Duterte’s allies, who have also been accused of corruption.
Instead of pinning down critics, he called on the present administration to address the continuing spikes in the prices of goods especially rice and gasoline.
Belgica said the filing of the charges was not politically motivated.
In a 61-page complaint, Belgica also filed 274 counts of graft against 139 members of the House of Representatives and 21 senators for allegedly receiving the illegal cross-border transfer for the first tranche, and 95 other congressmen and 18 other senators for the second tranche.
Among those charged were ex-Budget secretary Florencio Abad, ex-Interior secretary Mar Roxas, ex-Cavite representative Joseph Emilio Abaya, who was then the House appropriations committee chairman; Drilon, who was then the finance committee chairman; Trillanes; Joseph Emilio Abaya; ex-Budget undersecretary Mario Relampagos and director Yolanda Doblon.
Belgica identified only Drilon and Trillanes as the senator-respondents, saying the evidence gathered was directed to the culpability of the two senators.
He also accused Abaya and Drilon of conniving with one another in the graft scheme for being the finance chairmen in Congress and at the Senate, respectively.
