Senate okays PCGG budget

The Senate approved yesterday a P79.19-million proposed budget next year for the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) without P5 million in intelligence funds originally proposed by Malacañang.

The anti-graft agency’s budget was tackled again yesterday after Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile questioned the trips of PCGG chairman Camilo Sabio overseas, its hiring of expensive foreign lawyers, and the absence of Commissioner Ricardo Abcede.

"Why is Mr. Abcede not present in the hearings?" he asked.

"We appreciate the presence here of the distinguished commissioners of the PCGG, led by the chairman, but this representation noticed that for several days we’ve been hearing the budget of PCGG, all the other commissioners attempted to be present, but this gentleman who was vocal, very talkative in the media seems to be reluctant, afraid to appear here to answer questions."

Abcede and three other PCGG commissioners were the object of a manhunt conducted by the Senate in response to the warrant of arrest issued by the committee on government corporations because of his refusal to appear before the inquiry into the operations of the Philippine Overseas Telecommunications Corp., the Philippine Communications Satellite Corp. and the Philcomsat Holdings Corp.

Sabio was arrested by the Senate and was forced to attend the hearings, but the four commissioners remained in hiding.

Sabio challenged his arrest before the Supreme Court on the argument that the law that created the PCGG also exempts its officials from appearing before inquiries.

The Supreme Court eventually upheld the Senate’s power of inquiry and ordered the PCGG officials and the other respondents to appear before the hearings.

Sabio said that he was not aware of the whereabouts of Abcede who was the only PCGG official who was absent during the budget hearing.

Enrile said Abcede would be made to answer all of his questions during the continuation of the Senate inquiry into the Philcomsat issue on Monday. — Marvin Sy