On designation of a PCGG OIC

MANILA, Philippines - I write to correct the misimpression which Mr. Rainier Allan Ronda reported in The Philippine STAR issue of July 31, 2010 found in the top right column of the front page, wherein he falsely discloses an alleged “brewing turf war in the Cabinet” as manifested by the designation by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa of a new officer-in-charge of the PCGG in the person of resigned Chairman Camilo Sabio in apparent disregard of the designation made by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima of the undersigned Chief State Counsel as PCGG’s OIC.

As a lawyer who verifies and relies on facts in the pursuit of his noble profession, I wish to point out the following facts, which would clearly negate any conflict between and among the President’s Cabinet.

1. Justice Secretary de Lima designated the undersigned as OIC of PCGG under a Department Order dated July 23, 2010, which was however received and relayed to me only on July 27, 2010. The authority of Secretary de Lima to issue such designation order was due to the fact that PCGG was placed under the administrative supervision of the DOJ. Secretary de Lima was prompted to designate an OIC only to run the day to day or routinary affairs at PCGG specially since several of their employees have not received their salaries and the resident auditor of PCGG refused to recognize the authority of Comm. Ricardo Abcede, who designated himself as OIC.

2. In the face of such emergency situation, the undersigned immediately contacted concerned officials of PCGG to brief him of the problem for which reason I reported at the PCGG office the following day or the 28th of July, realizing that employees would expect receiving their salaries on the 29th, a Friday, which was the last working day of July. At this point, I also wish to correct Mr. Ronda’s report that I likewise issued an order designating myself as OIC. On the contrary, it was another PCGG official in the person of Director Daniel who earlier issued an order also designating himself as OIC.

3. After resolving the impending issues and on the way out of the PCGG building, my attention was called by the administrative staff regarding a just received letter of Executive Secretary Ochoa addressed to Chairman Sabio dated July 19, 2010 but received only at 12:30 nn of July 28, 2010 approving Chairman Sabio’s request to continue working on a holdover capacity to avoid disruption in the operations of the agency. I then requested a photostat copy of the letter and its envelop bearing the time and date of receipt thereof as these would be crucial in my report to Justice Secretary de Lima.

4. Upon my return to DOJ that same afternoon, I reported the matter to Sec. De Lima with a recommendation to revoke my designation as OIC of PCGG, which was accordingly issued.

The aforestated chronological sequence of events negate any aspersion of a “brewing turf war” particularly between ES Ochoa, who, I was told, is even a fraternity brother from the Ateneo Law School, and my boss, Secretary de Lima, whose passion for promptness and concern for the less privileged, I admire. The acts of designating an OIC for PCGG is purely motivated by the interest of the public service.

I therefore hope that the Philippine STAR would be more circumspect in its reports.