Lawmaker urges OWWA chief to quit

A pro-administration congressman urged yesterday Administrator Wilhelm Soriano of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to quit in the wake of his alleged involvement in irregularities involving workers’ funds.

"If Administrator Soriano has a sense of delicadeza, he should resign," said Rep. Willie Buyson Villarama (Aksyon Demokratiko, Bulacan).

He said no less than President Arroyo, in a recent meeting with media practitioners, has urged the OWWA chief to quit if he cannot get along with Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas who had him investigated in connection with the mishandling of hundreds of millions of pesos in workers’ funds.

"That was the clearest signal that the President no longer has her trust and confidence in her OWWA chief," said Villarama, who once served as Mrs. Arroyo’s chief of staff.

He pointed out that because of his alleged involvement in fund irregularities, Soriano is now under investigation by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC).

In fairness to Soriano, he is not the only one being investigated by the PAGC. Two former OWWA administrators, David Corpin and Eleuterio Gardiner, are also covered by the probe.

The three are being blamed for the failure of OWWA to collect nearly P1 billion in investments in the Smokey Mountain project of construction magnate and former Abu Sayyaf captive Reghis Romero II.

Such failure has greatly jeopardized the financial position of the agency and its capability to meet the funding needs of overseas workers.

The investments were made in several installments during the Ramos and Estrada administrations, starting with a P100-million placement in Smokey Mountain project participation certificates and balloting to nearly P1 billion.

The certificates, which carried an attractive tax-free interest rate of 13.5 percent, were guaranteed by the Home Insurance Guarantee Corp. Even so, the OWWA investments have not been returned.