JO offers unconditional support to President to bring bond scam fraudsters to book

The Joint Opposition yesterday pledged its unconditional support to President Maithripala Sirisena in his endeavor to hunt down those responsible for the treasury bond scam.

JO frontliner MP Bandula Gunawardena said that his group would stand in defence of President Sirisena against those who had launched a scathing attack when he (President) spoke against the bond fraudsters.

Addressing a press conference at the Parliamentary complex, Gunawardena said the President has become the victim of a mudslinging campaign in a bid to exert pressure on him to get the bond racketeers free from the biggest ever fraud in the country’s history.

“We support President Sirisena unconditionally in the legal process to be initiated to bring the culprits of the treasury bond scam to book. After the steps were taken by the President to appoint a Presidential Commission to probe the Central Bond scam, an attack has been launched against him by some UNP Parliamentarians, the JO parliamentarian said.

Gunawardena said they vehemently condemn various baseless allegations leveled against the President by certain sections of the government.

“Whatever threats and pressures are made, we call upon the President to take legal action against those held responsible for the treasury bond scam when the Presidential Commission submits its report to him”, he added.

He said those connected to the bond scam tried their best in and outside the Parliament to sweep it under the carpet. They thought that after the COPE investigations are completed, the issue won’t be further dragged on.  However, the COPE has no powers to take legal action regarding this issue. We witnessed how UNP MPs in the COPE acted in the Committee. They even added footnotes to the COPE recommendations and even leveled allegations against the Auditor General.

Gunawardena said the JO requested the President to appoint a special Presidential Commission to probe the treasury bond scam. Even some government ministers extended their support to this.  Following the information revealed by the Presidential Commission on the treasury bond scam, some of those involved lost even their ministerial portfolios.

JO MPs Mohan Priiyadarshana de Silva, Vijitha Berugoda and DV Chanaka also addressed the media.