PCSO’s De Leon: Alcuaz a liar

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office director Jose "Linggoy" Alcuaz is a liar, PCSO chairman Ma. Livia "Honey Girl" de Leon said yesterday.

"It’s all lies, just a product of his imagination," said De Leon on allegations made by Alcuaz that she railroaded the approval of a P600-million sweepstakes ticket printing contract to favor a supplier.

De Leon, who was in the Ilocos Region when Alcuaz hurled his accusations, said the issued raised against the PCSO were baseless. She said her lawyers were reviewing video footage of Alcuaz’s press conference for a possible multimillion-peso suit against him.

She admitted that some members of the PCSO board of directors held a meeting last Dec. 20 at the Mandarin Hotel in Makati City, but she said they never approved any contract.

"I really do not know where director Alcuaz got the report," De Leon told The STAR in a telephone interview.

She also denied allegations that she is delaying the implementation of various projects approved by the previous administration, saying that the delay was caused by a review being undertaken by Malacañang to ensure that the projects will be aboveboard.

De Leon said that though the projects — which included the ambulance procurement program, a hospital project, and the purchase of equipment for the Philippine National Police (PNP) Hospital — were approved by the previous administration, she cannot just release almost P1 billion for these projects because this will compromise the PCSO’s charity program.

"I cannot just release the money. Our daily medical assistance program will be greatly affected," De Leon said.

She claimed that Alcuaz’s expose could have been triggered by his failure to be appointed as PCSO general manager, a post that was vacated when Virgilio Angelo was appointed as head of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

"He (Alcuaz) told me that if I cannot lobby for him, then he will lobby himself to the President," De Leon said.

She challenged Alcuaz to come out with his evidence and file the necessary cases.

"We in the PCSO are performing our jobs in accordance with laws and there is nothing illegal here," De Leon said.

Alcuaz, however, stood by the allegations he made, saying he is still compiling documents for possible filing of charges in court.

He also decried what he perceived as an attempt by some people to cut off his radio program because of his strong campaign against corruption.

"I am just following the example set by President Arroyo," he said.

Alcuaz refused to comment on allegations that he lobbied for the post of PCSO general manager, saying that he could not determine if Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao was just airing his personal views.

"I do not wish to antagonize the President so I prefer not to comment on the statement of Tiglao," he said.

Alcuaz earlier said that De Leon and some members of the board called a meeting last Dec. 23 at the Mandarin Hotel without notifying him. He alleged that they passed a resolution approving a P600 million contract with a favored supplier of sweepstakes tickets without public bidding.

He also accused De Leon and Angelo of mismanagement, resulting in the alleged failure of the agency to perform its charity mandate.

Alcuaz said while the PCSO is earning huge revenues from the online lotto operations, millions of its funds for charity failed to reach its intended beneficiaries because of red tape in the agency.

While the law provides that the government must act within 15 days on requests for assistance from indigent patients, Alcuaz said it takes a long time before financial assistance is extended to the patient.

He also accused De Leon of delaying the implementation of the P600-million ambulance purchase program, and the disbursement of P282 million for the Ospital ni Erap program and another P282 million in hospital equipment meant for the PNP.

He claimed the delay in the implementation of the project is allegedly intended to overprice the units and to discourage local bidders from joining the bidding.

The PCSO, Alcuaz alleged, intends to buy imported ambulances even though these vehicles are available in the local market.

Alcuaz also claimed that PCSO is generating a lot of money because of online lotto games, but the cash is allegedly kept in bank deposits.

Tiglao, on the other hand, said that before Christmas last year, he had a talk with Alcuaz – whom he called his "friend" – which lasted more than two hours. Alcuaz supposedly sought Tiglao’s intercession to relay to the President his desire "to become GM (general manager)" of the PCSO, with the vacancy left by Angelo.

Alcuaz said if the GM post could not be given to him, his wife Baby Alcuaz should instead be appointed to any government post, Tiglao claimed.

"He (Alcuaz) said if he cannot be GM, he can help instead in the media from the outside or that his wife be put there (PCSO), that financially he cannot afford to leave the PCSO," Tiglao told Palace reporters.

Tiglao admitted that "I could not lobby for him (Alcuaz)."

He explained that it is the Palace search committee, headed by Chief Presidential Counsel Avelino Cruz, which is the recommendatory body for such vacancies as the post of PCSO general manager.