DOJ to probe govt execs' ‘infomercials’

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is open to the idea of investigating the infomercials of several government officials to determine if public funds were used in them. “Public funds are not supposed to be used to advance private interests or political ambitions," said Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera on Wednesday. In a privilege speech on Tuesday, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said government officials believed to be eyeing elective posts next year spent some P218 million for their infomercials. Among those government officials who have infomercials are Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, and Vice President Noli de Castro. Santiago called on the DOJ to conduct an investigation on the infomercials based on the Commission on Audit (COA) reports that she cited in her speech. Devanadera said the department is ready to conduct a preliminary investigation provided that they would be given a copy of the COA reports. “I don’t know the parameters yet because I have yet to read it. What the DOJ does is conduct preliminary investigation on charges. But I don’t know yet what Senator Miriam (Santiago) exactly wants us to do," she said. Devanadera said once they were given copy of the COA report, she would order the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which is under the DOJ, to investigate the source of funds used in the infomercials. She said she would also ask the NBI to look whether there had been violations of the election rules against premature campaigning in the airing of infomercials featuring government officials. - GMANews.TV