Hold your applause

I will hold my applause until I see the results of the Aquino administration’s efforts to investigate the pork barrel scam which was triggered by the discovery of a Janet Napoles operations involving initially five opposition senators and has now spilled into the current administration’s territory.

President Aquino and the Senate leadership have shown that they are listening to passions online and on the ground by accommodating the call for a probe into the misuse of the multi-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund, commonly referred to as pork barrel.

After dismissing the Napoles-triggered pork barrel expose estimated to reach as high as P10 billion as not as massive as the P728 million fertilizer scam during the time of Gloria Arroyo, Aquino yesterday said he is open to the suggestion of Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano to tap former Sen. Panfilo Lacson as special independent investigator who will look into the alleged irregularities in the use of pork barrel funds by some senators.

Last Wednesday Cayetano said ““Lacson is the best person to conduct the investigation because of his impeccable record against corruption and his unwavering stand against the pork barrel.” Lacson did not avail of his PDAF allocation during his term as senator.

Cayetano also said that Lacson’s background as a police officer would be an advantage because “he knows how to build up cases, he knows how to case people, he knows how to sense lying during question and answer of witnesses, so these are some qualities we need that will make the investigation more credible.”

Cayetano’s colleagues are divided on Lacson’s involvement in the Senate probe. Lacson’s nemesis, Sen. Miriam Santiago, expectedly opposed it. Even the head of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Senator Teofisto Guingona III was not amenable to Cayetano’s suggestion.

“We recognize the integrity and professionalism of Senator (Panfilo) Lacson. However, we believe that the Senate Blue Ribbon is capable of determining the truth. I don’t think there’s a need at all,” Guingona said.

Guingona also said that senators mentioned in the COA report will not be grilled by the committee.

Actually, even Lacson, knowing the political and legal realities, is not enthusiastic about it even as he was polite to Cayetano’s suggestion.

In a statement, Lacson said: “First, I thank the Senate Majority Leader for putting his trust and confidence in my ability to assist the senate in a very sensitive issue hounding several of its members. Second, a resolution needs to be adopted or concurred in by at least a majority of the senate to formally create the same. Third, and most important is how the proposed body will be defined in regard to its mandate, scope, powers and functions. “

He reminded everybody that in 2003, at the 12th Congress he delivered a privilege speech advocating the abolition of the pork barrel which he described as ‘a very corrupt and corrupting system in our political institutions.”

“ Had the 12th congress reacted positively to my privilege speech 10 years ago, the Senate could have been saved from the wrath and hatred of the citizenry,” Lacson said.

Lacson said he has to consult with the President since he said he “has yet to hear a formal confirmation of an earlier announced creation of an anti-corruption body to be headed by me which will necessarily deal with a similar or related issue at hand. “

Actually, if you examine the President’s statement on the proposed role of Lacson in the pork barrel scam, he is not enthusiastic about it.

He said there is already the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft and Corruption Council . The Ombudsman, the DOJ and COA are currently probing on the misuse of pork barrel.

The probe, however , is limited to the COA report released recently which covered PDAF released from 2007 to 2009. COA’s investigation does not cover PDAF releases under the Aquino administration.

Lacson has submitted a draft Executive Order for an office that would investigate graft cases under the Executive branch of the government. It did not cover graft cases in the two other branches of government – legislative and judiciary- for obvious constitutional limitations.

To create an all-encompassing anti-graft body, it has to be a new law that would require an act of Congress. They would have to make sure that the proposed new anti-graft body does not duplicate the functions of the Ombudsman.

Will members of Congress pass a law creating an independent body that would have powers to investigate them? Do pigs fly?