PCGG needs DOJ
approval for foreign trips

JUSTICE Secretary Agnes Devanadera has ordered the officers and employees of the Presidential Commission on Good Government to seek prior clearance and permission from her office before undertaking any foreign travel.

In a memorandum addressed to PCGG chairman Camilo Sabio dated July 9, Devanadera said any application to travel must also have a corresponding favorable recommendation from the chairman or officer-in-charge of the commission, coupled with the corresponding complete staff work of said travel.

The DOJ exercises administrative supervision over PCGG under Executive Order no. 643 signed in 2007 by President Arroyo.

In a separate memorandum order, Devanadera also directed Sabio to designate an official spokesperson for the PCGG "in order to avoid inconsistency in the position of the Commission on all matters pertaining to its jurisdiction conferred by the Constitution and various laws and issuances.

"To prevent the recurrence of situations where the print and broadcast media have misquoted certain officials of the Commission on certain news reports, you are hereby directed to designate either one of the Commissioners or an official of the PCGG to act as official spokesperson of the Commission who shall be solely responsible in communicating to the media the true and official position of the Commission on all matters of paramount importance to the public," the memorandum said.

Last June, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who had urged the abolition for the PCGG for corruption, asked Sabio to give a detailed account of his numerous travels abroad after receiving several complaints about the frequent travels of government officials abroad, particularly PCGG officials. Enrile said he wanted to know the purpose, duration and expense of each travel, including airfare, accommodation, per diem and other incidentals; source of funds for each travel, whether the expenses were charged to the PCGG or any sequestered companies, or to Sabio’s account.

In November last year, former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez had warned that heads will roll at the PCGG if any of its officials had taken any unauthorized foreign travels, following reports that excessive foreign travel expenses by some PCGG officials had reached almost $1 million in just the first six months of 2008.

After conducting an investigation, Gonzalez said he would have the Commission on Audit evaluate whether the public funds used in the trips should be refunded by whichever PCGG official had used it. However, not one PCGG official has been penalized even after Gonzalez left the DOJ to become chief presidential legal counsel last June.

Those investigated were Sabio’s executive assistants Lilia Yanga and Vicky Llamado, Legal Director Jay Ermin Ernest Louie Miguel, clerks Tina Beronilla and Jane Goze, secretary Dina Reserva, Asset Management OIC Alfredo dela Cruz, Personnel Dept. OIC Marita Villarica, commission secretary Romulo Siazon, Steve Tanchuling and Edilberto Reyes of Research Department, Library chief Lourdes Magno, Collections chief Lorna Reyes, Finance and Administration OIC Marcial Flores, chief accountant Malou Navarro, Sabio’s brother-in-law Gerardo Alo Ledonio III, and Abcede’s chief of staff Gener Reyes.