PCGG chief hit over travels, 37 consultants

MANILA, Philippines - Employees of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) have asked the Department of Justice to investigate Chairman Camilo Sabio’s alleged misuse of the agency’s $5-million foreign litigation fund for round-the-world travel with his wife.

In a confidential letter to Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera dated Oct. 28, they also accused Sabio of nepotism and of excessive hiring of legal consultants.

Former ambassador to Moscow Jaime Bautista, PCGG commissioner for litigation, also joined Sabio in his travels, the employees added.

The STAR repeatedly tried to reach Sabio on his cell phone yesterday to get his comment on the allegations, but he did not answer or return calls.

In their letter, the PCGG employees said Sabio has named some 35 consultants, mostly legal consultants, that are already of retirement age upon their appointment.

One of these legal consultants was former elections commissioner Manuel Gorospe who had been involved in a controversy over kissing another Comelec commissioner, the employees added.

The PCGG employees said Sabio has appointed several relatives as consultants and aides in his office or in PCGG-controlled companies.

Among these are his sons-in-law Gerry Ledonio and Titong Feria, his son Jayvee and daughter May, the employees added.

Sabio and Bautista allegedly tapped the PCGG’s foreign litigation fund set up in 2004 by then chair Haydee Yorac to pay for the legal fees of foreign lawyers retained to represent the government in foreign ill-gotten wealth cases.

The PCGG employees said Sabio also gets huge allowances on each foreign trip.

On one trip alone, he had an allocation of $120,000 for himself, the employees added.

Meanwhile, a PCGG source said Malacañang has already ordered the PCGG to explain the use of government sequestered United Coconut Planters Bank’s plush executive dining room at the head office in Makati last Friday for a conference to discuss initiatives to amend the Constitution.

Sabio was being questioned for allowing the conference, attended by several anti-Arroyo personalities like former ambassador Roy Señeres and Jose Luis Alcuaz, the source added.

The source said former House speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., vocal critic of Mrs. Arroyo, was invited as guest speaker.

The event was organized by Sabio and Danilo Coronacion, administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority and president and chief executive officer of the CIIF Oil Mills Group, the source added.