Saturday, August 16, 2008 PCGG chief vows to face Meralco case
CONTROVERSIAL Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairman Camilo Sabio said he has no plans to leave the country in the face of controversies hounding him and the commission.
He said he will answer questions over his role in the case between the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) at the Court of Appeals (CA).
Sabio and his wife Maria Marlene left the country last Thursday for Brazil to attend the International Law Organization convention.
"Of course I am coming back. I am a public official," Sabio said.
Sabio is expected to return to the country on August 31.
The PCGG official denied that his trip was meant to evade the investigations being conducted by the three-panel created by the Supreme Court (SC) over the alleged irregularities within the CA in connection with the Meralco-GSIS case.
Sabio is attending the convention in his capacity as president of the organization.
He said he would like to clear his name on the issue, as he asked for understanding from the media that he would only issue his statements in the proper forum.
"I'd like to speak. I'll make my statement through the body organized by the high court," he said.
Earlier, Sabio's brother, CA Associate Justice Jose Sabio Jr., admitted before the three-man panel that his brother tried to convince him to rule in favor of GSIS.
The panel on Thursday granted a motion filed by lawyers of businessman Francis de Borja to summon Chairman Sabio to its hearing.
De Borja was the alleged emissary of Meralco who Justice Sabio said offered him P10 million to inhibit himself from the Meralco-GSIS case. (AH/Sunnex)
