Expensive SUV may get PSC exec in hot water

How about a Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) official, receiving a monthly salary of less than P25,000, gifting his wife with an expensive Ford Expedition?

This is just one of the questions that may arise when the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC), formed and mandated to go after corrupt government officials, conducts a lifestyle check on key PSC personalities.

Sources inside the PSC said the official recently gifted his wife with the American-made SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle). A brand-new one costs around P2 million while a second-hand unit could be bought for less than a million pesos.

The PAGC has taken over the lifestyle check on top PSC officials from the Commission on Audit (COA) almost two months after an inquiry on the alleged corruption within the PSC was sought by Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella.

The PSC, which funds the training and preparation of national athletes for local and international competitions, has an annual budget of close to half a billion pesos. The bulk of the budget comes from generous government agencies like the Philippine Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

A former PSC employee has confirmed the reports and even added that the wife of the PSC official has been flaunting the expensive gift when she reports for work in Makati City.

In conducting the lifestyle check, the PAGC will look into the properties of the PSC officials, from their houses, cars and other businesses. Their extra-curricular activities will also be considered to determine whether or not they’re living way beyond their means.

Just like this PSC official. And he’s not even the chairman.