Jinggoy: Endorsing NGOs not a crime

MANILA - Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Monday again reiterated his defense that lawmakers are not responsible for determining if a foundation receiving their pork barrel is fake. Estrada issued the statement ahead of the filing of a possible plunder complaint against him and 2 senators in connection with the P10 billion pork barrel scam. "If the sole basis for plunder are the endorsements in the [Commission on Audit] report, I don't think endorsing an NGO is a crime," he told reporters. "It is not the duty of the senators or any legislator for that matter to determine whether an NGO is bogus or not," he added. The senator said the responsibility of determining the legitimacy of a non-governmental organization falls on the implementing agency, not the lawmaker. He said NGOs get accreditation from the implementing agencies. "They are supposed to exercise due diligence," he said. He said that even if he allocates pork barrel funds to an NGO, it is the implementing agency that should determine if the NGO is fake or not. He noted that he was presented photos and other documents that showed that government projects funded by his pork barrel allocation were implemented. ANC, September 16, 2013