Prelate to PNoy: Jail your allies too

In a recent interview over Radyo Veritas, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz expressed dismay that other administration politicians accused in the ten billion-peso “pork barrel scam” still walk free.

“I’m waiting that suspected party mates and cabinet members of President Aquino will also get arrested,” Cruz was quoted as saying in Filipino.

The former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) head stated that Filipinos are more interested to know if PNoy will also have Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Technical Education chief Joel Villanueva, and other allied lawmakers detained, now that his two political rivals are in Camp Crame.

So-called “Pork Barrel Queen” Janet Lim-Napoles earlier named the three, with other PNoy stalwarts, in her list of pork beneficiaries, who allegedly had an active hand in the multibillion-peso anomaly.

Cruz is disappointed that PNoy seems to turn a blind eye to the inclusion of his friends in what has been dubbed the “Napolist”.

The archbishop laments that justice in the country tends to favor only the rich and powerful few.

According to the prelate, a justice system that is heavily politicized like the Philippines’ breeds injustice.

“I can’t be sure if things will improve. Before that happens, leadership has to change also. We’ll see the result two years from now. If Filipinos elect allies of Revilla, Estrada, and Enrile, that’d be another story. You see, politics in the Philippines is revenge,” he said. (Raymond A. Sebastián)