Wednesday, November 05, 2008 Sabio to extend leave
CONTROVERSIAL Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairman Camilo Sabio on Tuesday heeded a memorandum issued by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, asking him to defer his reassumption of his post.
Sabio announced his decision a day after re-assuming the top post in the agency charged with prosecuting and recovering the Marcos ill-gotten wealth here and abroad.
"I am taking a second leave of absence in compliance with Secretary Gonzales's memorandum," he said.
The PCGG chief filed an "indefinite leave of absence" last September 29 after his name was mentioned in the controversial case of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) against the Lopez-owned utility firm, Manila Electric Company (Meralco).
Sabio's brother, Court of Appeals (CA) associate justice Jose Sabio Jr., was reprimanded by the Supreme Court (SC) for his involvement in the GSIS-Meralco controversy.
But in complying Gonzales's order, Sabio requested President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that the PCGG be placed under the direct supervision of the Presidential Anti-graft Commission (PAGC) and the designation of Commissioner Narciso Nario as Officer-in Charge be revoked.
Last year, Arroyo, through an executive order (EO), placed PCGG under the direct supervision of the DOJ with the objective to hasten the resolution of hundreds of pending ill-gotten wealth cases of the Marcoses here and abroad.
Sabio also asked the President not to let Nario "dip his hands" in at least three major cases at the PCGG, namely 18.4 hectares Payanig Pasig property, the multi-billion coco-levy funds, and Independent Realty Corporation (IRC).
He expressed fear on Nario's supposed "vested interest" on these cases.
"This is the reason why I decided to return to work even before October 31 when I learned that Nario, upon designation as PCGG officer in-charge, expressed interest and asked the PCGG lawyers what the status of these cases were," Sabio said.
He chided Nario for alleged incompetence, saying he is the commission's legal chief and yet he is not aware of the status of PCGG cases.
Nario was even rebuffed by the Supreme Court (SC) when he was the chairman of Sandiganbayan's 4th division that made the ruling involving the Philippine Telecommunication Investment Corporation involving P26-billion worth of shares.
He lauded the SC, saying that in overturning Nario's decision, the high court paved the way to the second biggest recovery of the PCGG who was tasked to go after the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses.
He likewise lamented Nario's supposed plan of hiring new set of lawyers after firing those whom were hired during his term.
Sabio meanwhile admitted banning a Manila Standard Today reporter from PCGG for allegedly maligning him.
He also asked the reporter of Sun.Star, who attempted to ask question, to leave declaring, "I don't want to talk to you."
Last Monday, a reporter of the Philippine Star was initially banned from covering Sabio's re-assumption.
It was learned that security guards were allegedly ordered by Sabio's confidential intelligence officer Alfredo Boiser to deny the said print reporters entry inside PCGG premises.
The banned reporters have been exposing a series of stories about perceived anomalies in PCGG such as Sabio's P10.35-million unliquidated personal cash advances from a surrendered corporation, his continued stay at the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) Oil Mills Group and using three government vehicles while on-leave, employing so many consultants, an unliquidated P500,000 cash advance by his chief of staff, among others.
Asked if he is still willing to work with Nario, Sabio said: "I have burned by bridges with him."
On the investigation being conducted by PAGC over the alleged more than P10-million unliquidated cash advances, Sabio said, "it's absurd."
Nario, for his part, refuted Sabio's accusation particularly his supposed interest in the three cases, adding that Sabio, as chairman specifically assign himself to directly supervise these cases.
"If I were him I will distribute the assignment of cases to more competent lawyers." Nario said.
Nario also believes accusation of supposed interest for the cases but explained that he is open for a compromise agreement since most of the cases have been pending before the court for decades now.
There are a lot of cases that have been dismissed by the Sandiganbayan because of weak evidences but were elevated before the High Tribunal and have been dragging there for years. (AH/Sunnex)
