Tom dares Atan to answer raps on P10 million SEAG funds

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday challenged his former sports consultant Jonathan Guardo to answer point-by-point the criminal complaint for malversation of public funds filed by the Philippine Sports Commission for Guardo’s failure to account the P10 million funds that was granted to him in 2005 for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in Cebu City.

Before the start of his regular press conference at his office in City Hall yesterday, Osmeña distributed to the news reporters copies of the complaint for violation of Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code that was filed against Guardo before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office last September 25.

Osmeña, however, decided not to make further comments about the case because he might be cited for contempt of court, but while the reporters scanned the documents, The Freeman heard the mayor humming a tune with words “Tubaga nang imong kaso, tubaga nang imong kaso.”

The PSC sued Guardo, the former Cebu Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Cebusoc) chairman, because the latter allegedly failed to liquidate the funds that were granted to him for the “construction and refurbishing of facilities” to be used during the SEA games.

There were three local governments that co-hosted the SEA games in Cebu that time — Cebu City, Danao and Mandaue.

Guardo, however, insisted that he did not pocket even a single centavo of the funds that was entrusted to him, but it was really spent for the operation of the SEA Games in Cebu.

Osmeña challenged Guardo to provide him with the list of his expenses, because he is sure that there were some fabricated expenses, but Guardo said the mayor can secure copies of his liquidation report from the PSC.

“Sigi ra man ni gibalik-balik ni Tommy ang isyu kay wala man g’yod siya’y laing isyu nga matira nako,” Guardo told The Freeman.

Guardo was named chairman of Cebusoc because he was the chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) that time, aside from being the sports consultant of the mayor.

He said he had already liquidated the P10 million, but the Commission on Audit and the PSC did not accept his liquidation report, because they were looking for infrastructure built.

Guardo said the P10 million was spent by the Cebusoc for the operational expenses of the SEA games.

He said the PSC could not expect the Cebusoc to use the P10 million for infrastructure, because the amount is not enough to build anything.

“Besides, they gave us the money in September or three months before the games,” he added.

Philippine Sports Commission legal officer Paul S. Vega accused Guardo of “willfully and criminally misappropriating, misusing” the funds that was granted to him by the government that prompted the COA to require him to refund the amount.

It was learned that when the PSC and COA directed Guardo to liquidate the amount, he submitted some liquidation reports, but it was submitted late.

But still, COA also claimed that after reviewing the liquidation report of Guardo, it was found out that only P700,000 of the total expenditures can be considered as utilized in accordance with the intended purpose for which the financial assistance was released.

Vega said “review of the documents for the implementation of the P700,000 worth of projects lacks the required plans and programs, detailed estimate, program of works and certification as to reasonableness of the price as provided for in Republic Act 9184.”

Guardo said once he will receive the notice of the filing of the case, he will quickly file his answer to the complaint because his lawyers are already prepared.

The Philippines hosted the SEA Games in 2005 with Manila as main host and Cebu as one of the co-hosts along with Bacolod City.– Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)