The Department of Justice (DOJ) has tasked the National
Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations against former President Benigno
Aquino III in connection to budget scandals during this administration.
DOJ asked the NBI to form a special task force to investigate
the alleged anomalies in the Disbursement Acceleration Program and the Priority
Development Assistance Fund.
The investigation was ordered by Justice Secretary Vitaliano
Aguirre II.
The action to reopen the investigation was made after the submission
of supposed complaint evidence filed by the group led by Manila Councilor Greco
Belgica.
The NBI was also tasked to look into the charges that Belgica
filed against former President Aquino, former budget Secretary Florencio Abad
and former budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos.
According to reports, the documents or evidence submitted by
Belgica’s coalition showed that P6.5 billion from DAP funds of P144 billion of
Aquino administration were allocated to local projects that are not itemized.
In an article posted by Philstar, Aguirre earlier hinted
that former Senator Jinggoy Estrada might become a witness in the investigation.
Senator Estrada, previously admitted receiving extra money for
projects through DAP and that extra fund was an incentive for voting to impeach
the late Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“I will leave it to the people to create their own
conclusion, whether this is true or not,” Senator Estrada said in 2013.
“But I can reveal that after the conviction of the former
chief justice, those who voted to convict the former chief justice, those who
voted to convict were allotted an additional P50 million.” He added.
The former senator had been granted a bail in President
Duterte’s term for his plunder case related to PDAP scam.
Source: Philstar
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