New DOJ usec worked with Lakas-CMD-Kampi

MANILA, Philippines - Congressmen-allies of President Aquino expressed concern yesterday over his appointment of a former Lakas regional coordinator as an undersecretary in the Department of Justice (DOJ).

They said the appointment of Ian Norman Dato shows that the search process for new officials could be flawed and the search committee is getting wrong information about nominees.

“The new DOJ undersecretary worked for Lakas as regional coordinator. He is a trusted lieutenant of former Lakas secretary-general Gabby Claudio,” one congressman formerly belonging to the erstwhile ruling party told The STAR yesterday.

“This guy has high-level clearance. He not only reported directly to Claudio but had access to then President Gloria Mapacagal-Arroyo and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo,” he said.

The lawmaker, who has defected to the Liberal Party, said it was to Dato that they gave their requests for sample ballots and other requirements in previous elections.

He said he is revealing what he knows about the new DOJ official since the appointee might have to handle cases involving the Arroyos or bureaucrats who served in the Arroyo administration.

Another former Lakas congressman said during the last months of the Arroyo presidency, Dato worked for then Presidential Management Staff chief Elena Bautista-Horn.

“He was part of Horn’s search committee for midnight appointees,” he said.

Mrs. Arroyo had issued more than 300 midnight appointments, which her successor has voided.

Reached for comment, Lakas executive director Ray Roquero confirmed that Dato had worked for Claudio.

“I think he was Gabby’s coordinator with congressional candidates in previous elections,” he said.

He was quick to clarify though that Dato did not have an official position in the Lakas secretariat, which he headed under Claudio and continues to head up to now.

“He did not report to us, he reported to Gabby,” Roquero said.

Dato and Claudio are both Samareños. Dato is from Northern Samar, while Claudio is from Western Samar.

The former Lakas coordinator is not the first Lakas officer to be appointed by President Aquino.

Last week, Mr. Aquino named Amadeo Perez, a former Lakas congressman and mayor of Urdaneta City in Pangasinan, as chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) in Taiwan.

Perez is the father-in-law of Cristino Naguiat, chairman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). Naguiat is an Ateneo classmate of the President.

Meco’s chairmanship and board membership are lucrative jobs that are worth at least P200,000 a month, plus allowances and travel expenses. Meco, though it is attached to the Office of the President, is treated and run like a private corporation due to the country’s one-China policy.

It functions like an embassy or consulate. It generates funds from services it renders to Filipinos and Taiwanese. Its funds are not audited by the Commission on Audit and are not remitted to the national treasury. The President and Meco’s board have sole discretion over its funds, which amount to tens of millions a year.

People close to Malacañang are usually awarded or rewarded the lucrative Meco chairmanship and board membership.

During Mrs. Arroyo’s time, the head of Meco was Antonio Basilio, a colleague and friend of the former president from their days at the Department of Trade and Industry.

Former Ifugao Rep. Gualberto Lumauig headed the office during the Ramos administration.