PRESIDENT Arroyo ordered yesterday the
Department of Justice to hold for 90 days the assumption of
office of Commissioner Jaime Bautista.
"The DOJ has re-appointed Commissioner (Nicasio)
Conti for another 90 days," a PCGG official said.
The DOJ has supervision over the PCGG.
PCGG chairman Camilo Sabio last Tuesday named
Bautista to replace his nemesis Conti, saying the Office of the
Executive Secretary signed Bautista’s appointment papers last
March 27.
He said the PCGG received Bautista’s
appointment papers last May 2.
A former ambassador to Moscow, Bautista was
supposed to co-chair the Legal Affairs department with
Commissioner Narciso Nario.
With the suspension, Conti returns as
commissioner for legal affairs.
But Sabio said he has yet to see or receive a
copy of the DOJ order.
Sources close to Conti said he is reluctant
to return due to the hostility and the "unfriendly environment."
Sabio and Conti have been at odds since last
year.
Sabio had tagged Conti as behind the
complaint before the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission where he
allegedly made P10 million in personal cash advances from a
surrendered Marcos asset in 2006.
He later linked Conti to the P1 million
donation by Philippine Communications Satellite Holdings Corp to
fund the PCGG Christmas party in 2005.
Last March 4, Sabio declared Conti’s position
as vacant and appointed William Dichoso without the blessings
from Malacañang.
Malacañang overruled Dichoso’s appointment
saying it recognized Conti as commissioner.
Conti was then in the United Kingdom where he represented the
country in the recent Chevening Fellowship on Public Sector
Reform Course. – Ashzel Hachero
