PSC pursues case on Philsoc liquidation
The Philippine Star | 11/11/2009 12:42 AM
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MANILA -- The Philippine Sports Commission will file on Wednesday a case against Philippine Olympic Committee president and 2005 Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee chair Jose Cojuangco Jr. for his alleged failure to liquidate the P73,243,524.86 funds spent in the staging of the 2005 Manila SEAG.
PSC chair Harry Angping made the announcement yesterday after the Philsoc failed to return the balance from the total expenses it incurred amounting to a little over P267 million.
Angping said the Philsoc had actually liquidated more than P190 million but the rest was disallowed by Commission on Audit auditors, forcing the PSC to file appropriate charges before the Office of the Ombudsman.
PSC lawyers stressed they would file separate criminal charges not just against Cojuangco but also against fellow Philsoc officials Steve Hontiveros, Jose Capistrano Jr. and Ernesto Ortiz-Luis as secretary-general, deputy secretary-general and treasurer, respectively.
It will also be up to the court whether to file malversation or plunder case since the amount exceeded P50 million.
“We’ve continuously asked them to liquidate and refund the money but they refused to do so,” said Angping. “Now we’re compelled to file this case.”
The PSC has also filed charges against top officials of the Bacolod 2005 SEAG Organizing Committee and the Cebu 2005 SEAG Organizing Committee for failure to refund the more than P50 million and P10 million, respectively.
The PSC move came just a day after Cojuangco filed a P10 million libel and other charges against Angping and several others before the Makati Regional Trial Court.
The civil action for tort and damages stemmed from the alleged unlawful demand by the respondents for refund within seven days of the amount of P73,243,524.86 covering expenses in the 2005 Games.
Angping, however, said that his move was not related to Cojuangco’s libel charges.
“How can that be when the PSC has been running after them since 2006,” Angping said.
Angping added he would allow his lawyers to answer all the charges filed against him.
“We’ll wait for the official letter then I would let my lawyers answer the charges one by one,” he said.
Angping also denied Cojuangco’s claim that his move is politically motivated, saying his wife, incumbent Manila 3rd District Rep. Zenaida Angping is running under Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim’s Liberal Party, the same party of Sen. Noynoy Aquino.
“How can this be politically motivated? I was with my wife (Zenaida) when she took an oath last night (Monday) to run under Mayor Lim’s Liberal Party in the Third District of Manila. Noynoy (Aquino) and Mar Roxas, in fact, were there,” he said. – Joey Villar
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