Gordon Face Graft Charges
OLONGAPO CITY - Former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and now Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon and other ex-SBMA officials are facing graft charges before the Ombudsman for alleged illegal disbursement of government funds amounting to nearly P400 million as reported by the Commission on Audit (CoA).
The complaint was filed by Antonio P. Mendoza, SBMA Internal Audit Service Department head, with the Office of the Ombudsman Aniano Desierto.
In his complaint-affidavit, Mendoza said, the P387 million which is the subject of charges against Gordon and company is part of the P855 million in questionable disbursement by the finality by the CoA as "disallowed" expenditures.
Charged along 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.
In April 1998, the Presidential Commission Against Graft and Corruption (PCAGC) recommended to then President Fidel V. Ramos Gordon's dismissal from the service after he was found guilty of gross misconduct, dishonesty and gross incompetence, among others, for his failure to account for the millions of pesos poured by the government into the SBMA.
Johnny R. Reblando
Published in the People's Journal
