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P10-B Pork Barrel Scam: A Reflection

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P10-B Pork Barrel Scam: A Reflection
P10-B Pork Barrel Scam: A Reflection

The Philippines was completely shaken when the news about the Napoles P10-B pork barrel scam dominated the different forms of media throughout the country during the third quarter of 2013. The Filipinos, although lacking knowledge about what the scam was all about, were enraged by this news. Demonstrations, rallies and other kinds of public display were staged by concerned citizens in condemnation to this distressing report. One of these was the massive demonstration of public concern which took place on August 26, 2013 at Luneta, also known as the Million People March, was joined by millions of Filipinos.
A lot of people would ask how was it possible for a single person to be able to almost control the sgovernment’s fund and to deceive the people of the republic for several years. The media named this person who is the brains of the fictitious business to be Janet Lim Napoles and her company to be JLN Corp. For almost a decade, Napoles and her company have operated in collecting government money through illegal means. She was interrogated by the senate several times and kept on saying she is not guilty. She, however, was already judged and jailed.
The people was more maddened when the report about the lawmakers and other government officials who allegedly partook in the so called ‘Napoles Pork Barrel Scam’ was aired on national television. To think that these officials were elected to create the law and to lead in abiding it, they were even the ones who showed utmost disobedience.
Three of the legislators who topped the list were former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. and Senator Jinggoy Estrada. These senators, too, were already judged by the court to be guilty of crime and were already imprisoned.
Laws regarding the transparency of government fund allocations and even the removal of the pork barrel were petitioned by different groups. As an action, the Supreme Court declared the pork

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