Plunder conspiracy eyed vs Bersamin kin, Pangandaman

MANILA, Philippines — Charges of “conspiracy to commit plunder” are being eyed against resigned budget chief Amenah Pangandaman and former presidential legislative liaison office chief Adrian Bersamin, Ombusman Jesus Crispin Remulla said yesterday, citing a pattern of activities they allegedly made to defraud the government.

In an interview with “Storycon” on One News, Remulla disclosed that Bersamin, a grandnephew of
 resigned executive secretary Lucas Bersamin, had been on his radar for a long time, dating back to the ombudsman’s stint as chief of the Department of Justice.

“My first supposition here is it’s a conspiracy to commit plunder, if not, malversation, depending on the facts that they got. But now, it’s evident it’s like conspiracy to commit plunder,” Remulla said.

He described the case as “plunder with a conspiracy angle sewn in among people who decided, who took liberties with the money of the people.”

“It’s a conspiracy to defraud the government,” he added.

Remulla claimed he had long suspected Bersamin’s activities, citing instances when the latter allegedly interfered in official matters.

“I had my suspicions already before about the activities of Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin. He was already in my radar for a long time,” Remulla said.

He recalled past disagreements with the executive secretary regarding the younger Bersamin’s actions, particularly an incident involving appointments not sought by Remulla’s office.

“But I knew already that if somebody is capable of doing it, it was this guy,” Remulla said, referring to the younger Bersamin.

While Remulla clarified that former executive secretary Lucas Bersamin had never been suspected of wrongdoing, he criticized the former chief justice for failing to rein in his grandson.

“I deemed it a bit of a weakness on his part to allow somebody like Adrian to run around the place and it was very disconcerting for me to see that,” the ombudsman said.

Temptations

He also suggested that extensive decision-making power delegated to Cabinet members might have exposed Pangandaman to “temptations.”

“It’s Trygve that I just got to learn about later on and about the involvement of Amenah Pangandaman. And I’m not surprised because there may be temptations on the side for them,” Remulla said, referring to education undersecretary Trygve Olaivarin who resigned yesterday.

The ombudsman noted that statements from former congressman Zaldy Co and former public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo cemented his suspicion regarding a close relationship among Bersamin, Olaivarin and Pangandaman.

“That stuck to my head that there may have been a close relationship between Adrian and Trygve and Pangandaman, if I am correct in that supposition,” he said.

In a statement after her resignation, Pangandaman said she remains steadfast in supporting the administration in a private capacity.

“In the past three and a half years, we worked with sincerity and determination to strengthen public institutions and ensure that every peso of the national budget works for the Filipino people,” she said.

Marcos not resigning

Meanwhile, Malacañang said resignation is “not an option” for President Marcos as he’d rather keep working for the country than give in to the demand of supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte for him to step down.

“The President will bravely face whatever the country’s problems are and those who are making noise, they are just noise,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press conference yesterday.

She said the Vice President’s supporters want him to resign so she can take over.

Corruption scandals continue to hound the administration of President Marcos, who also had to deal with accusations from his sister – raised during a rally by a religious group – that he and First Lady Liza Marcos are drug abusers. — Bella Cariaso, Jose Rodel Clapano