2 of 4 SSS execs named in stock trading mess probed for bribery too

Social Security System Commissioner Jose Gabriel "Pompee" La Viña on Tuesday said he has begun probing allegations of bribery involving "a minimum of" two of the four SSS officials he has earlier sued over the stock trading controversy at the agency.

He declined to name which of the officials are the subject of his current investigation.

At least one stockbroker is allegedly paying cash bribes to SSS officials in the agency's Investments Sector, La Viña said, reading from a statement. He said he informed SSS President Emmanuel Dooc about the supposed bribery as early as July.

He conceded, however, that the reports he used as basis for his investigation are "still to be verified."

"The amount reported is allegedly in the six-figure range paid on a monthly basis based on the volume of business given to the stockbroker," he said.

"Wala naman sigurong nagbibigayan ng pera na walang kapalit," he told reporters separately.

"What they can influence is the accreditation and the volume of trades," he added.

La Viña refused to name the stockbroker involved in his current investigation.

Asked what the liability of the broker will be in case the allegations are proved true, the commissioner evaded a direct answer, only saying, “Climax ‘yan ng storya.”

He had earlier filed an administrative complaint against SSS Executive Vice President Rizaldy Capulong, Equities Product Development head Ernesto Francisco Jr., Equities Investment Division Chief Reginald Candelaria, and Chief Actuary George Ongkeko Jr. for allegedly profiting from trading their personal stocks with the same stockbrokers who manage the portfolio of the SSS.

It was a complaint of "conflict of interest," and not misuse of funds, SSS Chairman Amado Valdez later explained.

“Hindi ka pwedeng kumita ng pera para sa sarili mo gamit ng iyong posisyon,” La Viña said on Tuesday.

It doesn’t matter which stocks the officials bought—the problem is they dealt with an accredited SSS stockbroker, he said. Over the two-year period that was the basis of the commissioner’s complaint, the officials accused of enriching themselves using their positions may have amassed millions of pesos, he added.

Two of the officials he sued, Candelaria and Ongkeko, have already resigned from their posts.

If allegations against the officials are proved to have probable cause, “there may be no action required on my part,” said La Viña.

“The Ombudsman might motu proprio file charges against them. The NBI may conduct investigations, Congress, di ba…” he added.

The SSS commissioner also said he was against hiking the rate of SSS contributions while allegations of corruption against officials of the agency run rampant.

La Viña also welcomed calls to probe the SSS amid the anomalous stock trading issue and to conduct a lifestyle check on SSS officials. — MDM/BM, GMA News