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Wednesday, September 10, 2003
PCSO raps Lacson before Senate ethics committee
THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has filed a complaint against Sen. Panfilo Lacson before the Senate ethics committee for dragging the name of the agency into alleged bribery activities and the Jose Pidal account in his two-part privileged speech.
In a five-page affidavit singed by Ma. Livia "Honey Girl" de Leon, chairman of the PCSO, the agency said it is filing a complaint against Lacson before the Senate ethics committee for irresponsible, malicious, damaging and unfounded accusations.
Lacson had said on the Senate floor during a privileged speech that the PCSO issued a P1.3 million check on February 2003 in favor of the Jose Pidal account, which Lacson said belongs to First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo.
According to de Leon, Lacson's allegation is false and is intended to destroy the integrity and reputation of the PCSO, laboriously built through 69 years of service to the Filipino people.
She added that what Lacson did constituted a misconduct and irresponsible misrepresentation of facts that "will not only erode the trust and confidence of the public on PCSO but affect as well the credibility of the Senate."
Senate President Franklin Drilon immediately referred the complaint to the ethics committee, chaired by Senator Francis Pangilinan.
"The complaint will be reviewed by the committee. If it finds appropriate basis to proceed with the investigation, it will proceed with the investigation," Drilon said in an interview.
However, Pangilinan said he remains as chairman of the ethics committee only because the Senate Leadership has not accepted his resignation due to the heavy workload.
Pangilinan said the committee will start reviewing the affidavit to find out if there is enough reason to conduct an investigation against Lacson for implicating the PCSO in the controversial Jose Pidal account.
The PCSO denied the claim of Lacson that PCSO funds were deposited in the Jose Pidal account, adding the check was actually issued in favor of individuals who had won the lottery.
"This accusation is completely false and a blatant lie. PCSO vehemently and strongly denies the malicious claim of Lacson that PCSO issued Land Bank Check 0061283 dated February 28, 2003 in the amount of P1.3 million and allegedly ending up in the account of one Jose Pidal," PCSO's affidavit said.
Attached in the affidavit was a photocopy of the check issued to a certain Fortunato Tiratira on February 23.
"We are filing this for whatever legal purposes it may serve and without prejudice to whatever appropriate criminal or civil actions which PCSO may take against Senator Lacson," PCSO added.
(September 10, 2003 issue) |
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