Sandra Cam tells GM Balutan: You don’t own PCSO

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board member Sandra Cam on Tuesday called out General Manager Alexander Balutan, saying that he does not own the agency and he cannot run it like a military camp.

Cam made the remark during the House good government and public accountability committee's inquiry into the her allegations of "lavish" expenditure on the PCSO's Christmas Party last year, which she claimed amounted to P10 million.

At the hearing, Cam said she exposed the supposedly extravagant event as a "protest" because the country at the time was being ravaged by Typhoon Urduja while another tropical cyclone, Vinta, was approaching.

"Having a party in a very lavish hotel ay hindi po yata maganda sa aming mandato na charity agency," she said.

But when she pointed it out to Balutan, the PCSO head said the party was approved by the board.

"Ang sagot po sa akin ni GM Balutan, this passed the board approval and it is only me who can say when and where because I'm the general manager," Cam said, citing Balutan.

"Walang puwedeng magdikta sa akin because I'm the general manager. Siya ang makakapagsabi lang when and where," she added.

With these statements, Cam reminded Balutan of his role as general manager of the PCSO.

"You don't own the PCSO. PCSO is a charity agency under the Office of the President. Hindi natin dapat i-run ang isang charity agency na parang military camp and you think you are always above the law," she told Balutan.

Cam said that out of the proposed budget of P10.3 million for the party, only P6.5 million was utilized. The remaining amount of P3.8 million remained unused.

Cam added that the total cash advance for the party was P10.7 million and given the unutilized amount of money, she pointed out there is a "discrepancy" of P404,000.

She also said that for a thanksgiving mass, there was a proposed budget of P31,000. But the actual expense was only P16,389, leaving a difference of P14,611.

"This is people's money and the money we are using in the PCSO ay galing sa mga mahihirap. Ibigay natin ang serbisyong maximized para sa mahihirap," she said.

Balutan, for his part, said holding the Christmas party was a "collegial" action. "It was passed by no less than the PCSO board," he said.

He added that the P3.8 million unutilized fund has also been returned to the treasury.

Balutan maintained that the Christmas party was held as a "morale booster" for their employees who worked hard all year long for PCSO.

"I believe that was a bare minimum na puwedeng gamitin sa empleyado na mahihirap lang din po," he said. "May karapatan din po sila."

House panel chair Johnny Pimentel said the PCSO may have committed violations of existing laws.

He pointed out that as a government agency, the PCSO cannot give money to the church. The agency also may have violated Commission on Audit Memorandum Circular 92-382 for using cash advances for a Christmas party.

Pimentel directed to invite a representative from the COA and the PCSO auditor in the next hearing. —ALG, GMA News