Gordon, ex-SBMA execs charges with P400-M fund mess
OLONGAPO CITY - Tourism Secretary Gordon, also a former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman, and other former SBMA officials were charged with violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for their alleged illegal disbursement of government funds totaling almost P400 million.
The complaint was filed by Antonio Mendoza, SBMA internal Audit Service Department head, before the Office of Ombudsman Aniano Desierto.
In his complaint-affidavit, Mendoza stressed that the charges against Gordon and other SBMA officials, which ivolve P387 million, is only part of the staggering P855 million in questionable dibursement of those accused.
The Commission on Auditing (COA) has ruled that the unliquidated expenses were "disallowed". The ruling is final and executory and, under the law, becomes a personal lianlity of the respondents.
The P855 million, Mendoza explained involved expenditures and illegal disbursement of public funuds from 11992 to 1998.
Parts of the expenses were disbursed for personnel services amounting to P109 million in 1996; P135 million in 1994; and P142.8 million in 1995.
Charged with Gordon were former SBMA officials Julie Reyes, Treasurer; Manuel Quijano, Personnel Officer; Leticia Doropan, Personnel Manger; Teresita Fallorina, Accountant IV; and Armin Raquel-Santos, Deputy Administrator for Finance.
The complaint noted that the accumulated huge amount showed the respondents' repeated disregard of government accounting and auditing rules, Republic Act 3019 and the Civil Service Law.
It will be recalled that the Presidential Commission Against Graft and Corruption (PCAGC) headed by Eufemio Domingo dismissal from the service in April 1998.
This was made after he was found guilty of gross misconduct. Dishonesty and gross incompetence, among others, for his failure, as chairman of the board and administrator of the SBMA, to account for the millions of pesos poured by the government into the SBMA as detailed in the 1993 COA Annual Audit Report.
The same illegal disbursement cited by the PCAGC forms part of the Mendoza complaint.
Mendoza also alleged that Gordon allowed the payment of salaries of thousands of "volunteers" who were supposed to be working on a voluntary basis or for free.
T. Dimaano
Published TODAY (May 13, 2001)
