MANILA, March 3 (PNA) — Although Malacanang on Monday has expressed hope that the process on the P10-billion pork barrel scam would be sped up, it will leave the case up to the country’s justice system to handle.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda in a Palace briefing said that so far, the latest provisional state witness, Technology Resource Center (TRC) chief Dennis Cunanan is still being evaluated by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“The evaluation of Dennis Cunanan as a witness is being done by the DOJ and as Sec. Leila De Lima already said, Mr. Cunanan is prepared to face any questions on his role as TRC director including the latest revelations that came out,” Lacierda said.
He said that since Cunanan is the latest person to volunteer as a whistleblower, Malacanang will let the prosecution take its course.
The Malacanang official also said that it was inevitable that there would be people who would be investigating Cunanan’s background.
“Everybody who came out had to undergo a background investigation. It’s a normal process in a democratic system to look at the credibility of each and every witness,” he said.
He said that Malacanang will defer to the DOJ on the evaluation of each and every person who comes up and volunteers to testify as a witness.
“In so far as the DOJ is concerned when they filed those cases, they believe they have a strong case,” Lacierda said. “Then again, filing it before the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman evaluating it is a separate issue.”
Lacierda further said that it took time for the DOJ to come up with a strong case.
“We hope it would be faster but again this is the process of the Justice system right now,” he said. (PNA)