Ping welcomes PCSO complaint

The camp of Sen. Panfilo Lacson welcomed yesterday the filing of a complaint by Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) officials against the opposition lawmaker.

Lacson’s spokesman and political adviser Angelito Banayo said the complaints filed before the Senate ethics committee will give them the opportunity to prove the PCSO, led by chairwoman Ma. Livia de Leon, is misusing its funds.

"By filing the ethics case against Senator Lacson, we now expect the PCSO under Mrs. De Leon to give way for a full disclosure of all its financial transactions," he said.

Banayo maintained De Leon and all the members of the PCSO’s board of directors are misleading the public following Lacson’s disclosures that the agency issued a Land Bank of the Philippines check worth P1.35 million to the controversial "Jose Pidal" account.

Lacson has accused First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo of maintaining a bank account under the name Jose Pidal for his money laundering activities.

"We would also ask a thorough audit of all its fund disbursements vis-a-vis the income which the PCSO generated during the period within which the deposit that went to the Pidal account was not yet stale," Banayo said.

Banayo said that with the PCSO’s filing of the complaint against Lacson, they "would expect the LandBank to fully cooperate with the investigation without invoking the Bank Secrecy Law."

De Leon filed a complaint Tuesday before the Senate ethics committee accusing Lacson of "misconduct and irresponsible misrepresentation of facts" in linking the agency to his allegations of money laundering against Mr. Arroyo.

In a five-page affidavit submitted to Senate President Franklin Drilon, De Leon and the PCSO board of directors and other officials said Lacson’s "irresponsible, malicious, damaging and unfounded accusations" are destroying the integrity and reputation of the PCSO.

De Leon earlier went to the extent of holding a news conference to deny accusations of Lacson in linking the PCSO to the alleged money laundering activities.

De Leon explained the LandBank check, with serial number 061283, was issued to a five-digit lotto winner, Fortunato Tiratira last Feb. 26, 2001.

She said the check was not for P1.35 million as claimed but only for P23,000.

De Leon claimed the PCSO even asked for a certification from the LandBank that only a single check bearing the said number was issued.

Banayo has turned the tables on the PCSO chief and challenged De Leon to disclose the check issuances and expenditures that amounted to P1.35 million even in an executive session at the Senate.

Banayo had lamented the PCSO has only been showing records from 2001 and 2002 but not for the current year.