|
Saturday, November 08, 2003
Davide children deny they are thieves
By Benjamin B. Pulta
CHILDREN of embattled Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. Friday chose a measured response to allegations of nepotism and corruption in the multimillion-peso contracts approved by SC committees where they are members.
Joseph Bryan Hilary Davide, who sits in the committee that screens infrastructure projects of the SC, and Noreen Davide-Salas, who sits in the committee that handled the P150million contracts for court employees' uniforms, failed to attend a press briefing called by accounting officials of the SC.
Assistant Court Administrator Ismael Khan said "Mrs. (Noreen) Davide (Salas) was in the SC premises" and that she would later meet the media to answer questions.
She did not appear and the SC Public Information Office (PIO) instead issued a statement signed by her.
"We are not thieves like other people in government. We are just doing service all for the greater glory of God."
Davide-Salas said in a three-page letter that her committee "faithfully adhered to public trust."
"So much indignity has already been thrown at us. Many people want us to speak up but prudence sometimes dictates us not to, even if it is stupidity to some," Davide's daughter explained.
No statement from the Davide's son was available as of presstime Friday.
There was no shortage of defenders of Davide among the middle-level court officials Friday who appeared before the media.
Deputy Court Administrator Jose Perez insisted that "there is no law violated" by having appointed the Davide children and added that it has been a traditional practice dating as recently as the time of the late Chief Justice Marcelo Fernan and continued until the time of retired chief justice Andres Narvasa.
Perez said accusations of corruption against Davide's daughter are unfair since "she only has one vote in a committee."
Other members of the uniform committee include lawyers (Deputy Clerk of Court) Maria Luisa Villarama, Eden Candelaria, Jose Perez, Corazon Ordonez, Mercedita Dadole-Ygnacio, Emily Vasquez (office of the Chief Justice), Rick Vitug, Thelma Bahia (Court Management Office, Jose Dante Guerrero, and Joseph Ang (present and past president of the employees association, respectively).
The court official added that the winning design is chosen after top bidders samples are voted upon by the committee members and after the proposed design is exhibited for a time at the SC compound.
Corruption is unlikely in the uniforms contracts, Perez said, because a sum of P5,000 is given to all employees as part of their clothing allowance instead of the actual uniforms.
Davide's son is an official of the following ad hoc committees of the SC: task force: annual award for excellence, protocol chaired by Deputy Court Administrator Ismael G Khan Jr., where Davide's son is vice chairman.
Davide's son is also vice chairman of bid and awards committee, co-chairman of the personnel development committee and a member of the selection and promotions committee, appropriations committee, and the committee on the Halls of Justice
Salas, on the other hand, is a member of the SC's praise committee, vice chairman of the performance and evaluation review, SC health and welfare plan board and the executive committee for judicial reform program.
(November 8, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
