OPPOSITION lawmakers were quick to criticize the Department of Justice (DOJ) decision to place alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles under the witness protection program.
The DOJ confirmed this Friday, March 16, within the same week that reports surfaced about the DOJ resolution dismissing the drug charges against self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, Cebu businessman Peter Lim, alleged drug queen in the south Lovely Impal and several others.
"Under the watch of Secretary Aguirre, our justice system is weaponized to go after the political opposition," Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said.
Villarin believes that the goal of the administration is to silence the critics of Duterte by using DOJ’s prosecutorial powers and discredited witnesses like convicted drug lords and Napoles.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said the decision of the justice department to place "principal plunderer" Napoles in its Witness Protection Program is "wrong and unjust."
"Merely weaponizing Napoles just to retaliate against its political enemies will not do justice to the Filipinos deprived of needed services because of the billions of pork barrel corrupted and plundered by politicians in cahoots with the Pork Barrel Queen," he said.
Zarate said the recent decisions put into question the credibility of the DOJ and the Duterte administration.
He said: "While it absolves or gives special treatment to druglords and plunderers likes of Espinosa and Napoles, it wants to designate as terrorists people who are truly aspiring for genuine change and development in the country."
Zarate is referring to the petition of the government to declare as terrorists several members of progressive groups in the country.
"We must be very wary of this development because as things stand now many of those who have been charged of plundering the people's coffers are getting off the hook," Zarate said.
ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio shares the same view.
"Pagkatapos maabswelto ang mga drug lord, abswelto naman ngayon ang pork barrel queen," Tinio said.
(After the drug lords were cleared, the pork barrel queen is cleared.)
He continued: "Ang rehimen ni Duterte ang numero unong protektor ng mga panginoon ng krimen at katiwalian."
(The Duterte administration is the number one protector of crime lords and corruption.) (SunStar Philippines)