Parañaque 1st District Rep. Eduardo Zialcita on Monday admitted that he received donations from the Legacy Group of Companies but denied being a consultant of the group for which he was allegedly paid more than P1 million.

"I categorically deny any involvement, in any capacity, official or unofficial, with the companies of the Legacy Group.  I have never been a consultant to them, and have never been consulted by them. I must also state that I have never been the recipient, personally, of checks, or funds, from the companies that make up the Legacy Group," Zialcita said in a statement.

He, however, admitted that Legacy Group owner Celso delos Angeles and the Legacy Group have supported various charity programs in Parañaque's first district including free caskets and financial assistance for burials, feeding programs for poor kids and free medicine and tuition assistance to deserving constituents.

"I was never asked by Mr. Angeles and his Group for any favors in return, nor did I offer, or give, any," he said.

Zialcita condemned the alleged attempt to malign him. He also said his name may have been used by the Legacy Group "as a foil against other high-profile personalities."

"I have asked my lawyers to prepare the necessary charges against those who have caused untold anguish and grief to me and my family in this regard," he added.
In her testimony before the Senate, Legacy CFO Namnama Santos said the preneed firm Legacy Consolidated Plans Inc. gave a total of P38 million in company funds to delos Angeles for his 2007 campaign to get the mayoral post of Sto. Domingo, Albay.

She said the company also issued at least 18 checks totaling P1.8 million that would be used as payment to Zialcita as consultancy fee."To my knowledge, he is the only public official who received a consultancy fee," she said.

She said the issuance of the checks was upon the instruction of delos Angeles' personal secretary.

Sen. Manuel Roxas said he will leave it up to the House of Representatives to investigate Zialcita's possible involvement in the Legacy mess.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has filed two cases of syndicated estafa against delos Angeles and top management of the Legacy Group and allied companies for allegedly siphoning P487 million of depositors and government money.