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Thursday, September 23, 2004
‘BLACKMAIL’
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
*GSIS chief alleges attempt by solons;Clavel backs probe, citing ‘documents’
GOVERNMENT Service Insurance System (GSIS) president and general manager Winston Garcia lashed out at congressmen who singled him out on allegations of corruption.
Garcia said the Commission on Audit yesterday issued a certification that he already liquidated the cash advances he made.
Winston strongly suspects that the allegations against him are being raised with the pending re-insurance of the National Power Corp. (Napocor).
“A cabal of re-insurance brokers do not like the savings that I made,” Garcia said, referring to the $11-million dollar savings he made in last year’s bidding.
“I hope and pray that the actions of these congressman are really for exigencies. From the looks of it, they are already condemning me without an investigation. There are unsavory reports that some are using congressional investigations to blackmail some people. I hope they are not one of that,” Winston added.
Malacañang, meanwhile, is keeping its hands off the latest in a series of controversies Garcia has
been facing since he assumed the post three years ago.
Press Secretary Igna-cio Bunye said the Palace leaves it up to Garcia to respond to allegations that he and his sister Carolyn Garcia-Empe-mano incurred P5.25 million in unliquidated cash advances in a span of 10 months in 2001.
Winston is a son of former Cebu governor Pab-lo Garcia and brother of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
Iloilo Rep. Rolex Suplico, in a press conference last Tuesday, said he filed Resolution 276, which calls for an inquiry into the alleged mismanagement and misuse of funds by GSIS officials.
Reps. Benasing Maca-rambon (Lanao del Sur), Eduardo Veloso (Leyte) and Marcelino Libanan (Eastern Samar) co-sponsored the resolution.
Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez (Cebu, 6th district), a political enemy of the Garcia family, said she will support the House probe on Winston even if she is an administration ally.
“It (the allegation) is true. I have a handful of documents (to prove it),” Martinez told Sun.Star in a phone interview yesterday.
Winston needs to answer the complaints of GSIS members, she said.
Her constituents have raised complaints of being charged for loans they did not make and for delays in the release of the loans.
However, Winston alleged yesterday that one of the four members of the House of Representatives who are seeking an investigation on him and his sister Carolyn had visited him to discuss the re-insurance of Napocor.
“It just might be a coincidence that one of the four came to see me to talk about the re-insurance. I flatly rejected his request,” he said.
When asked to name the congressman, Winston said, “Once he denies it, I might name him.”
Suplico alleged that Winston and Carolyn incurred P5.25 million in unliquidated cash advances in 2001.
Gwendolyn Garcia said yesterday that she would not meddle in the issue. “It is better that they themselves answer the outlandish accusations,” the governor said.
Winston reiterated that he was already able to liquidate and justify the releases.
“If they don’t have a hidden agenda, they should not single me out. If they have nothing to hide, they should start in their House, starting with the speaker,” Winston said.
Deputy House Speaker for the Visayas Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north), who presided yesterday, said he did not receive a copy of the resolution.
However, he said it will still be calendared for first reading, and will then be referred to an appropriate committee.
(September 23, 2004 issue)
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