Raps filed against officials of Insurance Commission

Insurance Commissioner Evangeline Escobillo and three other commission officials are now facing charges of alleged anomaly in the lifting of the conservatorship of a financially distressed insurance company.

Reymar Mansilungan, a conservator the commission had assigned in the Acropolis Central Guarantee Corporation, filed before the Ombudsman a complaint against Escobillo, financial analyst division chief Ma. Elenore Sanchez, and chief insurance specialists Julia Dueñas and Evelyn Singun.

Mansilungan visited The Freeman's office recently explaining the case and saying he wanted the Ombudsman to investigate the alleged anomalous lifting of the conservatorship on Acropolis that also effectively terminated his assignment as conservator.

"Why I was not informed about it?" Mansilungan said as he commented that there was "something behind" the lifting of the conservatorship on the ailing insurance firm.

Mansilungan said that the commission, last December 29, designated him as conservator of Acropolis after the firm suffered financial losses.

Acropolis was also ordered to infuse capital to cover pending claims and the salaries of employees from 2003 to 2004, he said.

Mansilungan said that to enable Acropolis to resume its business and lift the conservatorship, it needs to deposit funds amounting to P40 million -P21 million for 2003 and P19 million for 2004.

Acropolis claimed it already paid P21 million, sometime in 2005, but Mansilungan alleged that the commission representatives cannot confirm it.

Escobillo however last May, before leaving for Canada, allegedly lifted the conservatorship and granted a license to Acropolis, said Mansilungan.

"I asked for proof that Acropolis has deposited the amount; they could not show me something. I wrote a letter to the commissioner that she could not renew the license of Acropolis because there are still many pending claims, but she gave the license despite my memo," he said.

Mansilungan said that, since he was assigned to overlook the company as its conservator, Escobillo should have asked for his confirmation first before lifting the conservatorship and issuing the license to Acropolis.

"I want the Ombudsman to let Insurance Commission officials explain why the license was issued to Acropolis even if it could be verified if it made a deposit," he said. - Wenna A. Berondo/RAE