Graft charges filed vs Bataan gov, 10 others

MANILA, Philippines - The incumbent governor of Bataan province was charged Thursday with two counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan for the alleged questionable transfer of some of the province’s assets to a private company. Prosecutors said Gov. Enrique T. Garcia, along with 10 others, signed over to a private corporation at least 49 percent of the province’s interest in the Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Co. (Baseco), P60 million escrowed rental proceeds, and 49 percent of all future earnings of the property. Garcia’s co-accused were identified as former vice governor Benjamin M. Alonzo; incumbent provincial board members Edgardo Calimbas, Eduard (sic) Florendo, Edward Roman, Orlando Miranda, Rodolfo Izon and Manuel Beltran; former board members Fernando Austria and Rodolfo Salandanan; and Balanga City councilor Dante Manalaysay. Graft prosecutor Clarisa V. Tejada recommended the indictment of the 11 accused, which was approved by Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando C. Casimiro. She asked the anti-graft court to set the defendants’ bail bond at P30,000 for each count. The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Oscar delos Reyes, a resident of Mariveles town, accusing incumbent and former board members of passing a resolution authorizing Garcia to negotiate with the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and Baseco to partition the disputed assets. Baseco is subject of a separate legal action, Civil Case No. 0010, still pending before the Sandiganbayan, naming former Tacloban City mayor Alfredo Romualdez, the Marcoses and several others as defendants. In 1988, Bataan held a public auction of a number of Baseco’s assets for the company’s failure to pay real property taxes. Baseco was given a year to redeem its properties, but it failed to do so. The next year, Bataan won a case at the regional trial court for the transfer of Baseco’s assets to the name of the province. From 1990 to 2001, the Baseco properties were leased out to port operators and earned some P60 million which was placed in escrow after the PCGG lodged its own claim in behalf of the national government. In a resolution dated June 22, 2005, the Supreme Court encouraged all parties to explore the possibility of entering into a compromise agreement on the disposition of the disputed properties to obviate costly litigation. But regardless of SC’s directive, the Ombudsman said the defendants’ actions violated their mandate to safeguard the interest of the province of Bataan by preserving its assets. “This conveyance of Baseco properties to a new corporation is tantamount to entering into a contract manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the Province of Bataan. The reduction of ownership over Baseco properties likewise caused undue injury to the province,” the Ombudsman said. - GMANews.TV