Former Senate President Koko Pimentel cautioned state prosecutors on Sunday against filing cases against lawmakers without “solid evidence,” stressing that legislative work itself does not constitute a criminal act.
His remarks came amid reports of potential graft cases involving Senator Chiz Escudero and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez, allegedly linked to the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“The mere passing of a bill into a law cannot be a crime,” Pimentel stated in a television interview. “It should be more than that… So it’s in the implementation of the law.”
The lawyer-lawmaker argued that prosecutors must present clear proof of participation in corrupt acts rather than rely on legislative duties.
He urged the Office of the Ombudsman to follow the standard set by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla: filing cases only when there is “reasonable certainty” of conviction.
“You only file cases when you have the confidence that you have a reasonable certainty of convicting the accused,” Pimentel said.
He also warned against rushing prosecutions to meet public demand or self-imposed deadlines, particularly in high-profile investigations such as alleged flood control project anomalies.
“Let’s be careful in depriving people with liberty. Let us not force the issue unless the evidence is really there,” he added. “We should be very careful in announcing self-imposed deadlines because we might force ourselves to comply… just because we have already announced it publicly.”
Pimentel advised the Ombudsman to ensure fact-finding missions are complete before making public pronouncements.
“After their fact-finding… if he believes there’s sufficient evidence to charge people, then he should now make the announcement,” he stressed. “Announce when you’re ready.”
While acknowledging public frustration over the pace of corruption probes, he emphasized fairness must remain the priority.
“People should be punished if there is really evidence. To be fair… to be fair to everybody.”