Lifestyle check Ombudsman told: Probe PJ

CEBU, Philippines - A concerned citizen is asking the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to conduct a lifestyle check on One Cebu gubernatorial candidate and third district Rep. Pablo John “PJ” Garcia.

Roberto Letaba, a resident of Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, went to the Ombudsman past 8 a.m. yesterday and submitted a letter requesting investigation into Garcia’s wealth in the presence of the media.

He attached Garcia’s statements of assets and liabilities and networth (SALN) and photographs of the lawmaker’s residential house in Guadalupe, Cebu City.

In an interview, Letaba said he wanted Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol to look into the SALN of Garcia, citing inconsistencies in the cost of Garcia’s residential house.

He said Garcia declared an acquisition cost of his house at P900,000 in 2008 but the value ballooned to P10.4 million as of December 31, 2011.

“How can the acquisition defer?” Letaba asked.

But Garcia explained the alleged discrepancies cited by Letaba, saying that what was acquired for P900,000 was the lot with no road-right-of-way (RROW).

Garcia said the house was built though a P10 million loan from a bank in 2008.

“The house’s construction, the acquisition of the RROW and the property’s integration into a respectable subdivision would explain the increase in its value. Up to now, we are still paying that 10-year bank loan,” Garcia said.

Garcia’s SALN

Letaba showed a copy of Garcia’s letter to House of Representatives Secretary-General Marilyn Yap, asking “not to release copies of his SALN without his written and prior approval.”

Based on Garcia’s SALN in 2011, he has an annual income of P675,918.

Garcia said he has always been sending request to the House secretary-general, saying that SALN can be subject to abuse if it falls into the wrong hands.

“On the complaint, I welcome that. I have nothing to hide. I have always been under the impression that all public officials and employees are under a constant lifestyle check, request or no request,” he said.

Garcia pointed out that his SALN was even published in a local daily, which means that even the media have obtained a copy.

Not politically motivated

Although he supports the candidacy of Hilario “Junjun” Davide III, Letaba said his filing of request before the Ombudsman was not politically motivated.

“I don’t know personally Junjun Davide and he doesn’t personally know me. I am doing this as a concerned citizen,” Letaba said.

Davide is running against Garcia for the gubernatorial post.

But Garcia said Davide has something to do with Letaba’s request.

“Now, Davide is hiding behind the name of Roberto Letaba. This is a pattern, like the way he hides behind the name of his father,” said Garcia.

Garcia said Letaba’s complaint was not made under oath and that he did not even put his mailing address.

“I wonder why Davide is so afraid to confront me. I just wish he had filed this himself as he promised because I could have confronted my real accuser and engaged him in a debate that he has been running away from all this time,” Garcia said.

Davide denies involvement

But Davide denied involvement in the filing of the complaint against Garcia, saying he doesn’t personally know Letaba.

“Mo-expect nalang gyud ta ana nga kita pasanginlan. Mao man gyud na sila, sawayon ta, pataka lang pasangil,” Davide said.

He said he would rather focus on his campaign.

Davide accepted the challenge of Garcia to show their respective income tax returns (ITR). —/LPM (FREEMAN)