Why only now and why only usurpation, Roque, in his personal capacity, however, asks
(Eagle News) — The Palace on Thursday, June 21, said it was “pleased” with the Ombudsman’s indictment of former President Benigno Aquino III over the disbursement acceleration program.
“We welcome any effort to bring about accountability of public officers,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said when asked to comment on the charges for usurpation of legislative authority filed against Aquino.
In his personal capacity though, Roque, who argued against the constitutionality of the DAP before the Supreme Court in 2014, questioned why it took “all this time before anyone” could be charged.
He said it has been “over four years” since the Supreme Court struck as unconstitutional the mechanism, in particular, the re-appropriation of funds from the Palace’s savings to agencies outside the executive branch and the realignment of funds that are not used for other purposes without certification from the treasury department.
“Some quarters are already asking why only usurpation which is punishable only by six months. The original complaint was for malversation,” he said, apparently referring to the complaint filed by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and Bayan Muna party-list group.
Apart from the charges of malversation and usurpation of powers, the groups filed graft charges against Aquino and his budget secretary, Florencio Abad.
According to Roque, he surmised the usurpation of authority charges were because the Ombudsman found there was no element of “personal benefit.”
He said, however, that the Ombudsman should have “considered” that “personal benefit,” did not only mean “benepisyo sa sariling bulsa.”
“Pwede rin naman na gaya ng sinabi ni dating Senador Jinggoy (Estrada) na ito’y pinambili ng boto para sa impeachment,” he said, referring to the P6.5 billion from the DAP which were allegedly used to bribe then-members of the House of Representatives and the Senate into ousting then-Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Roque also noted what he said were the complaints of “many” and President Duterte “na ang kinasuhan sa DAP lang ay ang oposisyon noong mga panahon ni Aquino.”
“Ang reklamo ng marami ay selective justice. I am sure marami pang dapat kasuhan na dapat pang kasuhan, at ito pong tinutukoy ng Presidente (Duterte) na may hawak siyang dokumento dahil ito po (may) mga kaalyado ng dating administrasyon na di nakasuhan,” he said.
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