A third batch of lawmakers linked to the pork barrel scam will be charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) today (Friday) before the Office of the Ombudsman, the Inquirer learned.
To be charged are聽 Senator Gregorio 鈥淕ringo鈥 Honasan,Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director General Joel Villanueva, La Union 聽(1st district) Representative Victor Ortega, Manila (5th district) Representative Amado Bagatsing, Cagayan de Oro (2nd district) Representative Rufus Rodriguez, former La Union Representative Manuel Ortega, and former Zamboanga Representative Isidoro Real Jr.
Of those to be charged, only Villanueva, a close ally of President Benigno Aquino III, is a member of the ruling聽Liberal Party. Meanwhile, Honasan, previously an independent candidate, is now the vice president of the United Nationalist Alliance.
The filing of the third batch of cases had been postponed several times. KS
搁贰础顿:听Gov鈥檛 failure to file 3rd batch of pork scam cases slammed