BCDA exec has no official appointment – watchdog

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines — Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) claimed that the head of the bids committee for projects at the New Clark City in Tarlac lacks an official appointment as executive vice president of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).

CCW filed yesterday a complaint against Aileen Anunciacion Roa-Zosa for usurpation of authority, graft and violation of the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials before the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).

At a press conference here, CCW legal counsel Raymund Palad said Zosa, who is reportedly from Cebu and a relative of President Duterte, received P15 million worth of salaries since 2016 despite the lack of appointment.

But BCDA spokesperson Lani Macasaet said in a message to The STAR that the allegations were “baseless because the position of Ms. Aileen Zosa is approved by the Governance Commission for GOCCs” or government-owned and controlled corporations.

She also said that the BCDA has yet to receive a copy of the complaint.

Diego Magpantay, CCW national president, said Zosa has been “calling the shots” at the BCDA and has also been acting as chief of three executive vice presidents – Joshua Bingcang, Nina Radoc and retired Gen. Carlos Quita.

A CCW statement that was distributed during the conference said “presidential adviser for flagship programs and projects Vivencio Dizon (also the BCDA president and chief executive officer) retained her (Zosa) and made her head of the agency’s bids body for projects at the New Clark City in Tarlac although the Governance Commission for GOCCs (CGC) had approved the abolition of her office and position in 2015.”

Palad said he sought from BCDA copies of the official appointments of Zosa and the three executive vice presidents and found out that while Bingcang, Radoc and Quita had legitimate appointments signed in 2016 and 2017, Zosa’s appointment dates all the way back to Feb. 1, 2010.

He noted that Zosa’s post as well as four divisions under her were abolished when the GCG implemented the restructuring plan for the BCDA.