CLARK FIELD, Pampanga - President Estrada is expected to finally intervene in the controversies rocking the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) amid fears that conflicts in the state-run firm's management would adversely affect "investor's confidence" at the Clark Special Economic Zone.
Press Secretary Ricardo Puno said Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora will tackle the CDC issue with the President today.
"We are aware of the protest rallies going on there," Puno said in a telephone interview.
This developed as Rogelio Singson, chairman of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), told CDC president Sergio Naguiat to "refrain everyone from making media statements, which can only damage investor's confidence" at the zone.
Last Holy Wednesday, the internal office of the Ombudsman at the CDC, headed by lawyer Renato Gasmen, issued 90-day suspension orders to CDC vice president for administration and finance Buenaventura Antonio and legal services department chief Monina Pineda.
But Arayat Mayor Benigno Espino, co-chairman of the CDC's Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC), convinced Naguiat to recall the suspension orders and reconsider his plans to also suspend executive vice president Hilana Timbol-Roman, two other vice presidents and at least seven other department heads.
In an earlier memorandum to the Ombudsman, Naguiat cited documents showing that Antonio and Pineda were "probably guilty" of various charges ranging from graft to harassment.
Pineda received the Ombudsman's suspension order "under protest for being illegal, without prejudice to the filing of civil, criminal and administrative charges.'
The cases cited against her included a "car scam," a recommendation by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee for prosecution by the Ombudsman for graft, gross incompetence, human rights violations, and a pending grave misconduct case.
On the other hand, Naguiat accused Antonio of alleged involvement in a "car scam," the "loss or wastage of P26 million worth of medical equipment and supplies for Mt. Pinatubo victims," alleged technical malversation of public funds, and "illegal appointments of officers" to "non-existing positions."
Naguiat, however, recalled the suspension orders against Antonio and Pineda on the same day, saying a panel will hear the administrative cases against those he initially wanted to be suspended.
Some 650 employees, mostly belonging to the Association of Concerned CDC Employees (ACCES), are set to continue the noise barrages and rallies they started before the Holy Week to denounce the "chaos" within the CDC.