CASE STEMMED FROM 2005 SEA GAMES: Guardo arrested for malversation

CEBU, Philippines - Businessman Jonathan Guardo was arrested yesterday afternoon by the elements of the National Bureau of Investigation-7 for malversation of public funds in connection to the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

Guardo, who just lost during the last elections to congressman-elect Tomas Osmeña, was reportedly playing tennis in Alta Vista Golf and Country Club in Barangay Pardo when agents of NBI-7 served him the warrant of arrest issued by a Regional Trial Court in Manila where the case against him was filed by the Philippine Sports Commission last September.

He was with barangay Tinago councilman Joel Garganera when the warrant was served.

Guardo reportedly submitted without resistance to the agents who brought him to the NBI-7 office along Escario St. He refused to be interviewed by the media but said that he will consult the matter with his lawyer.

The arresting officers were also hesitant to divulge information to the media, although a Cebu City councilor called up The FREEMAN and confirmed that Guardo was arrested in connection with his case for violating Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.

The agents also refused to say who issued the warrant of arrest for Guardo but it was learned that the court set his bail at P40,000.

The agents also said it took them three days to trace his whereabouts.

Guardo was charged after he failed to liquidate the P10 million financial assistance granted by the government to the Cebu Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee he headed during the 23rd SEA Games in 2005.

The money was supposed to be used for the improvement of the sports facilities in Cebu City, Mandaue City and Danao City that served as one of the satellite venues of the SEA Games.

The Commission on Audit has asked Guardo to liquidate the expenses during the SEA Games but Guardo failed to do so hence the PSC demanded the return of the P10 million.

Only P700,000 of the total expenditures liquidated was reportedly spent in accordance with the intended purpose.

Osmeña said he was not surprise by Guardo’s arrest yesterday afternoon because he was expecting that he will be arrested.

“Klaro man kaayo nga nakahimo siya og kaso kay dili siya makatubag hain na ang kwarta nga gitugyan kaniya para sa SEA Games,” the mayor said.

Some of Guardo’s friends, including Garganera, trooped to the NBI regional office after learning of the arrest of the opposition leader in Cebu City.

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

Osmeña was one of those who challenged his former political opponent to provide him with the list of his expenses.

Guardo was named chairman of Cebusoc in 2005 because he was the chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission that time, aside from being the sports consultant of the mayor before their relationship turned sour.

Although Guardo insisted that he had already liquidated the P10-million fund that was entrusted to him, but the Commission on Audit and the PSC did not accept his liquidation report because of the absence of infrastructure projects.

Guardo earlier explained that he spent the P10 million for the operational expenses of the SEA games.

But Philippine Sports Commission legal officer Paul Vega said Guardo “willfully and criminally misappropriated, misused” the funds granted to him. —/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)