Liquidation mess: PSC readies malversation case vs Peping, Philsoc

Tit for tat. The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is set to file malversation case against top officials of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) for allegedly failing to liquidate financial assistance extended by the government during the 2005 SEA Games hosting.

In press briefing Tuesday, PSC chairman Harry Angping said the government sports arm has given Philsoc officials enough time to liquidate the amount extended four years ago but these officials refused to heed the call. To be charged for malversation of public fund are Philsoc president and current Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Cojuangco Jr., secretary-general Steve Hontiveros, deputy sec-gen Jose Capistrano and treasurer Ernesto Ortiz Luis. The announcement came a day after Cojuangco and the Philsoc filed seven courses of action, including libel, ultra vires acts and damages against Angping. “We wrote the Philsoc officials numerous letters seeking them to liquidate. But their reply was that we are wrong and they are right. Our last deadline for them to liquidate was November 4 and since they did not respond to our demand which is to liquidate or return the money, we have no other recourse but to file the case," explained Angping. The Philsoc, according to the PSC boss, has yet to liquidate P73,243,524.86 out of the P267,634,507.50 in financial assistance it received from the government for the hosting of the 23rd SEA Games. The Philsoc has claimed its books are in order, duly certified to be correct by private accounting firm SGV but the Commission on Audit (COA) has disallowed numerous liquidation papers, resulting to the mess. “SGV is a private firm but it’s different with COA because there are procedures to take in liquidating government money. As far as we in the PSC is concerned, unless the COA certifies that all the papers are approved, we have no other recourse but to go after them because the COA will go after us," explained Angping. Not retaliatory He clarified that the decision to bring Philsoc to court was not a retaliatory tactics after Cojuangco filed seven cases against him last Monday. Cojuangco, through his lawyer Vicente B. Chuidian, has asked the Makati Regional Trial Court for payment of P10 million in actual, compensatory, exemplary damages and attorney’s fee from Angping for tort, libel and damages charge for “the sudden, unexpected and unlawful oppression for demanding the immediate refund of the unliquidated account." “We’re just doing our job being a government agency. As far as the case against me is concerned, I welcome it but will not issue statements and will let the court decide the merit of the case," said Angping. The case against Philsoc is the third case relative to the country’s 2005 SEAG hosting. The first was a plunder case against Bacolod Rep. and POC chairman Monico Puentevella, who headed the Bacolod SEA Games Organizing Committee (Basoc) while the second case was lodged against the Cebu SEA Games Organizing Committee under Jonathan Guardo. Puentevella is being charged at the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly failing to liquidate P50.5 million in government assistance. Guardo is facing criminal charges at the Manila Regional Trial Court for P10 million in alleged unliquidated amount. “Mr. Puentevella asked for a 45-day extension which will end on November 15 so we expect a decision by November 16 as to whether the case will pursue or not. As for Mr. Guardo, he failed to attend two preliminary hearings and the case will be decided soon," said Angping. The POC, meanwhile, would want to see the complaint first before issuing a statement. “It would be better to comment on the matter after we see the reports. But Mr. Angping should get a good lawyer because he will be facing numerous court case that may go even beyond his term as PSC chairman," said POC spokesman Joey Romasanta. Aside from the POC, the Wrestling Association of the Philippines (WAP) has also filed graft and corruption case against Angping for allegedly failing to support the Asian Junior Wrestling Championships held two months back. Reports have it that more NSAs are preparing to file their own charges against Angping soon. - GMANews.TV