MANILA, (PNA) — A Catholic prelate is hoping that the Supreme Court (SC) will decide without the influence of outside forces on whether or not to lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2013.
“I pray that the SC shows its independence from the house and the palace on TRO on pork barrel,” said Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo in a text message.
He added that if the government and lawmakers are serious in helping the poor, there are other ways in helping them.
“They are again using the poor for their interests. If they really want to help the poor, the government has a lot of ways to do so and not only the pork barrel. They are the ones being helped by the pork barrel and not the poor,” Pabillo said.
The prelate is reacting on the comment filed by the government through the Office of the Solicitor General asking the High Court to lift the TRO on pork barrel.
Several groups have sought the SC in connection with the P10 billion pork barrel fund scam.
On the other hand, Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles is saddened on lawmakers, who were one with them against the Reproductive Health (RH) law but were implicated in the alleged scam.
“It’s regrettable. Both are different moral issues. We are against any kind of immorality. We pray for all sorts of persons,” he said.
The prelate added, “We ask everyone’s support to uphold what is right. We will never directly or indirectly support misdeeds even if such misdeed is perpetrated by friend, relative or self.”