Arroyo, former PCSO officials face plunder charges

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has recommended the filing of plunder charges against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former PCSO and Commission on Audit (COA) officials for the irregular release of P391.9 million from the confidential intelligence fund (CIF).

In a resolution dated Oct. 20, the board recommended the filing of appropriate charges against Arroyo, former PCSO officials and former COA chairman Reynaldo Villar.

The PCSO resolution was signed by its chairman Margarita Juico, and board members Mabel Mamba, Francisco Joaquin, Aleta Tolentino and Betty Nantes.

A complaint was filed before the Ombudsman last Dec. 2 and no less than President Aquino announced the latest development during a Christmas party Tuesday at a news forum at the Sofitel hotel in Pasay City.

The resolution also recommended the filing of cases against former PCSO general manager Rosario Uriarte; former board members Sergio Valencia, Manuel Morato, Raymundo Roquero, Jose Taruc and Ma. Fatima Valdes; former COA Region V head Nilda Plaras, and PCSO assistant general manager for finance Benigno Aguas.

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, legal counsel of Arroyo, said the filing of the plunder case is part of the continuing harassment of his clients by the Aquino government.

“It’s just one of the power play of the Aquino government,” he said, adding that aside from the series of suits, the government has also continued to harass Chief Justice Renato Corona to inhibit from the Arroyo cases pending before the Supreme Court.

The PCSO alleged in the complaint that respondents “conspired... in withdrawing, amassing, accumulating” public funds worth P391.9 million from July 2007 to January 2010.

The resolution said that after a review of the PCSO records by the COA and the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, its was revealed that Arroyo and the former PCSO board of directors and general manager connived and cooperated in the irregular disbursement of the CIF.

The PCSO has authorized its board secretary, lawyer Eduardo Araullo, to represent the agency and to sign the complaint and file the appropriate pleadings before the Ombudsman.