Palace washes hands on jueteng probe halt By Aytch S. de la Cruz 09/26/2010

Palace washes hands on jueteng probe halt


By Aytch S. de la Cruz 09/26/2010

Malacañang issued a stock reaction invoking respect on the separation of powers among government branches when asked to confirm reports claiming that it has something to do with the Senate blue ribbon committee’s decision to cut short its probe on the latest jueteng controversy.

Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Senate blue ribbon committee chairman, said Friday that the committee backed by senators allied with Aquino is no longer keen on continuing with the investigation in the allegations of jueteng payolas given to officials close to Aquino.

Guingona is known as one of the strongest allies of Aquino in the Senate, having run with him under his Liberal Party in the last elections, and his decision was immediately attributed by anti-jueteng groups as a way of killing the issue to shield the President from further criticisms.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma quickly dismissed the allegation, saying Malacañang wouldnever step on the lawmakers’ turf since Congress is a co-equal branch..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/