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| A view of the island-province, Marinduque |
Ito eksakto ang sinabi niya:
"I-contrast mo ‘yung pinalulusot noong araw versus ‘yung nakalusot ngayon," Aquino told reporters during an ambush interview in Subic.
"Compare mo sa fertilizer scam, gaano kalaki ang diperensiya? And yung fertilizer scam is the tip of the iceberg, marami pang iba," he said. Link
He issued the statement after some lawmakers, even allies, were accused of helping fund alleged bogus groups under businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles using their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) — or “pork barrel”— allocations.
Aquino said the PDAF controversy is nothing compared to the P728-million fertilizer fund scam during the time of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. That's the very same fertilizer scam involving Marinduque's governor Carmencita O. Reyes.
Aba po, e malaki nga ang diperensiya dahil kung sa usapin nga ng maanomalyang paggamit ng constitutionally outlawed PDAF at DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Fund), sa DAP pa lamang ay lumobo na nga itong DAP na ito sa P 150-Billion. The P728-million fertilizer scam is nothing compared to that nga naman.
Ferti scam case ni Carmencita O. Reyes
Sa nasabing fertilizer scam, panay naman ang mga tanong sa social media kung ano na ang nangyari sa criminal cases laban kay Carmencita O. Reyes ng Marinduque.
Ang tinutukoy pala rito ay ang Criminal Case No. SB11CRM0113 entitled "People of the Philippines vs Carmencita O. Reyes, et al.: for illegal use of public funds/Technical Malversation and Criminal Case No. SB11CRM100 laban din sa kaniya/kanila bilang paglabag sa 3(e) of Rep. Act No. 3019.
The first case involves the diversion by the accused of the amount of P5 million from the intended purchase of fertilizer to the purchase of farm equipment.
The second case involves the purchase of said farm equipment na walang public bidding - na kahit sa mga panahong ito at base sa ilang ulat na galing pa sa Sangguniuang Panlalawigan ay ginagawa pa rin sa kasalukuyan iyang no bidding-bidding na iyan. Link
Isinampa way back March 18, 2011 sa Sandiganbayan ang mga kaso vs Reyes et al.
It was only on January 14, 2014 that Reyes was finally arraigned, that's after the lapse of close to three years.
Still the prosecutors did not file any motion for suspension, apparently being biased for whatever reason in favor of Reyes.
A motion to suspend Reyes was finally filed on June 10, 2015 and a hearing of said motion was set on June 25, 2015.
Now, has there been any outcome after the lapse of another 3 months? Nada nothing zich zero!
Alam naman natin, long delay in the proceedings of such criminal cases will certainly prejudice the State since the state witnesses may leave the country, get sick or die and may even be paid not to testify anymore, correct?
Is it too far-fetched to think that the prosecutors may even be deliberately bungling the prosecution of the two cases so Reyes and other allies could be acquitted?
Nothing at all has been done by the prosecutors to expedite the proceedings in this case. Like getting the depositions of the state witnesses.
It is strongly doubtful therefore if the judicial affidavits of the state witnesses have ever been prepared.
By now, after the last couple of years, we are all too familiar already with this kind of legal strategy, right?
And all that - to delay the case, discourage or disable the state witnesses from testifying, then work for acquittal of the accused for the carefully conjured "lack of evidence".
Recalling Aquino again
With the appointment of former Supreme Court Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales as Ombudsman in 2011, Aquino III said during his first SONA that the country would have an “honest-to-goodness anti-corruption office.. not one that condones the corruption and abuses in government”.
“I expect that this year (2011), we will have filed our first major case against the corrupt and their accomplices. And these will be real cases, with strong evidence and clear testimonies, which will lead to the punishment of the guilty,” sabi ni Aquino, whose presidential campaign in 2010 was anchored on his supposed fight against corruption.
“I expect that this year (2011), we will have filed our first major case against the corrupt and their accomplices. And these will be real cases, with strong evidence and clear testimonies, which will lead to the punishment of the guilty,” sabi ni Aquino, whose presidential campaign in 2010 was anchored on his supposed fight against corruption.
So this case that has dragged the island-province of Marinduque into the limelight is apparently just another showcase of what perks and benefits await those allies in government - if they ever get into trouble with corruption cases "with strong evidence".
They the corrupt will ever remain "untouchable" kamag-anak, kaibigan, etc. a seemingly distorted kind of legacy for future generations to emulate eh?
Philippine media has labeled it "selective justice", where the sons or daughters of the arrogantly and notoriously corrupt are so free, the people's money to squander and their official positions to abuse and misuse ad infinitum eh?
