MANILA, March 17 (PNA) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) will study whether it is necessary for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to also investigate the pork barrel fund channeled to the National Agri-business Corporation (NABCOR), which went to questionable non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
It was earlier reported that some P1.7-billion worth of pork barrel funds of four senators and 79 other lawmakers were allotted to NABCOR from the years 2007 to 2009 and ended up in questionable NGOs.
Justice Secretary Leila M. de Lima on Monday said that they will first see whether there are NGOs connected to Janet Lim Napoles which were involved in the alleged pork barrel anomaly before the NBI investigation comes in.
Napoles is the alleged “brain” behind the P10-billion pork barrel fund and P900-million Malampaya Fund scams.
Nevertheless, De Lima said, it can also be possible that because the information was directly provided to the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman), it may conduct an investigation through their Field Investigating Officer, or bring it to the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council (IAAGCC), or bring the case to the NBI.
The IAAGCC is composed of the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit (COA) and the DOJ. (PNA)