Senate panel defers OMB budget as Jinggoy questions zero cases vs. violators

A Senate finance subcommittee on Tuesday deferred deliberations on the Optical Media Board (OMB) budget for 2023 after Senator Jinggoy Estrada questioned the performance of the agency's chairperson.

During the hearing, Estrada said that there were zero administrative cases filed against violators during the term of its head, Jeremy Marquez.  There were also zero collections in penalties incurred from violations of Republic Act 9239 or the Optical Media Act of 2003.

Marquez was appointed in October 2021 during the term of then president Rodrigo Duterte.

The OMB is seeking a P75.858-million budget for 2023, which is lower its 2022 appropriations of P76.989 million.

“During your time, there were zero administrative cases filed against violators of RA 9239 (Optical Media Act) from November 2021 when you took over until about July this year 2022. In contrast, the OMB was averaging 200 administrative cases filed each month before you took over,” Estrada said.

The senator said that under Marquez's helm, there were no administrative cases resolved compared to the previous years with more than 1,000 cases resolved per year.

“Yung mga predecessors mo ang daming mga naresolved na admin cases, tapos ikaw wala? Ni-isa wala,” Estrada said.

Marquez said that he wanted to “cleanse” the agency first before enforcing intensive law enforcement.

“Being appointed last year around October, we found that fit as the management of OMB to first see the actual status or kung ano ang nangyayari sa aming ahensya," he said.

"Unang una gusto ko makilala ang aming mga kasama and before I took oath and assumed for office syempre nagbackground check na po ako sa aming ahensya and sad to say po sa mga channel were complaints are received, napakarami pong corruption complaints in terms of extortion ng aming agency,” he added.

Estrada pointed out that the administrative penalties collected in the previous year were also higher compared to zero collection under Marquez.

Henalso said that there were zero seizures of counterfeit and illegal storage of devices from November 2021 until August this year.

“In fact, you recently ordered OMB agents to conduct seizure operations against violators of RA9239 just so you can have something to report in the budget deliberations in both Houses of Congress. Are you being remiss in your job?” Estrada asked Marquez.

“No, Mr. Chair. I came from a training and background na maging business friendly po,” Marquez replied.

Estrada said that Marquez should not be “friendly” to violators or else he will not apprehend them.  He then moved to defer the approval of the agency's budget.

Senator Mark Villar, who presided over the hearing, moved to reschedule the budget hearing of the OMB to another date.—LDF, GMA News