DOF probes charges against GSIS chief

The Department of Finance (DOF) has started investigating allegations of corruption levelled against Winston Garcia, president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho told reporters yesterday that the charges against Garcia by the GSIS union would be looked into before the department makes a decision on whether formal administrative procedures should be initiated against him.

"We will investigate these reports," Camacho said, adding that he has directed Finance Undersecretary Inocencio Ferrer Jr. to look into the case. Garcia has been asked by Ferrer to formalize his reply to the charges of the Kapisanan ng mga Manggagawa sa GSIS.

Despite the controversy, Garcia insisted that all his transactions have been above board. Since the GSIS is subject to a regular audit of the Commission on Audit, he said the agency would have long discovered any questionable dealings and filed appropriate charges.

"If there is a case to be filed, COA and the Ombudsman would have filed them by now because they openly dislike me," Garcia reasoned.

Garcia is under fire for allegedly obtaining P3.4 million in cash advances during his first six months in office. The union said the GSIS chief has been dipping into the fund to "enrich himself."

The KMG also said that Garcia was mismanaging the Employee Compensation Fund while taking kickbacks from such projects as the computerization of GSIS operations and even loans extended to another government agency, the Public Estates Authority.

There are rumors that Garcia will be replaced by Silvestre Bello III, a former secretary of justice. However, Garcia said he has not been informed of any moves to replace him.

"I have not been told. But I serve at the pleasure of the President," he said. However, Garcia said he had no intentions of resigning his post.

Ferrer for his part, said he has met with Garcia and told him that the KMG has formally submitted a manifesto accompanied with documentation of Garcia’s reported misconduct.

"These allegations cannot be allowed to be left unanswered," Ferrer said. "They are very serious charges."

The employees of GSIS have been staging protest actions against Garcia, who said he earned the ire of the union when he refused to approve a P30,000 increase in the cash gift for GSIS employees. – Des Ferriols