Government witness in tax scam hits Sandigan ruling

The government’s main witness in the multibillion-peso tax scam expressed disappointment yesterday over the decision of the Sandiganbayan permitting his estranged brother, the main suspect in the case, to travel abroad anew for allegedly flimsy reasons.

"It’s sheer arrogance," Felix Chingkoe complained in reaction to the ruling of the anti-graft court’s fourth division allowing his brother Faustino to travel to Canada and the United States just to find a school for his daughter.

The whistle-blower in the tax scam case said the court granted the request amid vehement objections from government prosecutors.

Convincing the court to restrain his brother from leaving the country is proving to be one of the biggest problems of government prosecutors, he added.

In a two-page resolution, the Sandiganbayan granted Faustino Chingkoe’s trip to Canada and the US to attend the high school graduation of his daughter Dionne and assist her in scouting for a school for college. The travel authority was from June 2 to July 1.

Faustino Chingkoe is facing a string of criminal charges, including graft for allegedly cheating the government of billions of pesos in taxes through the tax credit scam, which involves a number of his companies.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) had opposed the travel, saying it was unnecessary and that Chingkoe had not presented any proof that his daughter was graduating from a school in Vancouver, Canada.

"There is no proof that daughter of the accused would be graduating from the Crofton House School. Neither is there any proof that there is a graduation rite nor his daughter is one of those who will be graduating," it said.

The OSP also maintained that there is no need for Chingkoe to accompany his daughter to the US in her effort to find a suitable school for her college education, as this can be taken care of by his wife.

The prosecution has always maintained that the businessman is a flight risk as he not only faces multiple criminal charges but is also a holder of passports from Canada, South Korea and Fiji.

The OSP also urged the court to stop the accused from frequently leaving the country as he may also be transferring his assets abroad, which will leave the government nothing to collect in case a payment is ordered against him.

In his motion, Faustino Chingkoe said that he not only wants to attend his daughter’s graduation, but be present in its several related activities including " school-sponsored reception, dinner and dance" that "usually lasts for five days."

He also asked that he be allowed to travel to China and accompany his daughter’s tour of four countries in Southeast Asia.

"From Canada, accused intends to bring his daughter to Hong Kong… preparatory to a tour of four Southeast Asian countries namely, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia," Faustino Chingkoe said. The court, however, only granted the Canada and US destinations. — Delon Porcalla