|
PCGG keeps mum
on tales of P50M ‘cut’
BY ASHZEL HACHERO
THE Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) is tightlipped on reports that it siphoned off close to P50 million from recovered ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family and their close associates, which was intended for the comprehensive agrarian reform program.
PCGG officials said that in a recent en banc meeting, Commissioner for Legal Affairs Jaime Bautista was delegated as spokesperson so there will be a "single and unified response" to questions by media.
Bautista, however, has not been available for comment.
According to documents from the agency, six manager’s checks totaling P483.13 million were turned over to the PCGG from June 3 to September 3 but they only remitted to the National Treasury 90 percent of the amount or P434.817 million.
The PCGG retained P48.31 million.
The report said in its remittance letter to the National Treasury, the PCGG cited a special provision of the Commission as contained in the General Appropriations Act FY 2009 wherein PCGG is entitled to retain 10 percent from the proceeds of sale or administration of assets.
According to the PCGG report, the amounts represented part of the recovered dividends paid on the 111,415 shares of Philippine Telecommunications Investments Corp. (PTIC) that were forfeited by the Sandiganbayan in favor of the government in 2006.
| 
