The claims of Save Bacolod Movement convenor Romy Niere that all checks issued by the National Treasury were deposited to Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella’s personal account are misleading, Philippine Sports Commissioner Eric Loretizo, one of those named in the report, said yesterday.

Loretizo, then the Bacolod SEA Games Organizing Committee secretary general, said the first three checks dated July 28, Aug. 12 and Aug 26, 2005 were deposited to the personal account of the solon at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.-Bacolod, because during that period their authority to open an account for BASOC was not yet issued.

The claims of Niere that the fourth check dated Nov. 18, 2005 amounting to P10 million was also deposited by Puentevella to his personal account is “not entirely true”, he said, adding that the check was deposited to the BASOC account since their authority to open an account from the Philippine Sports Commission came out in October.

Niere had said that, according to Puentevella, BASOC has no juridical personality. He also cited a memorandum of agreement entered into by the BASOC with L’Fisher Hotel which stated that BASOC is a non-stock, non-profit corporation.

Loretizo called this a “selective presentation” meant to confuse the public because, he also said, “a MOA is a formality when you engage in business with a corporate entity like L’Fisher Hotel. This is the same MOA that we entered into with 10 other hotels that hosted the SEA Games.”

BASOC has no juridical personality because it is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission since it is only a major sub-committee and an extension of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee, he said, adding that it had the same status as that of the Cebu SEA Games Organizing Committee.

Loretizo said the checks dated Oct. 9 and Nov. 8, 2005 from the city government were deposited to the BASOC account since they were able to open an account in October.

He said the claim of Niere that despite the existence of the BASOC Account, Puentevella deposited the Nov. 18, 2005 check to his personal account, is a big lie and challenge him to check the records with the bank.

Loretizo admitted that he wrote Edwin Javellana for the release of a certain amount for their operational expense since the latter is the co-chairman of the BASOC finance committee, not because his employer, Rolling Hills, controls the funds.

As manager, being the operations man, he does not hold on to the funds, he said, but he has to go through the finance committee to request for funds. This is being done even in the corporate set up so there will be check and balance, he claimed, adding that Niere should know this being a former executive of a religious media outfit in Bacolod before.

“ONLY INCIDENTAL”

He said Javellana’s being chief finance officer of Rolling Hills is only “incidental” because they tapped him as finance co-chairman together with audit firm executive Arturo Altarejos, because of his “financial expertise”.

Niere claimed that the P10 million “mystery” check dated Sept. 15, 2005 was also deposited to the solon’s personal account and proved that the total amount of government funds received by BASOC was P69.5 million.

Loretizo said the Commission on Audit report from 2005 to 2009 only asked the PSC to liquidate P50.5 million. The P9 million given by the city government to BASOC was already liquidated three weeks after the SEA Games, he said.

The alleged mystery check of P10 million indicated to refund the National Sports Development Fund account the assistance released to BASOC that was charged against the NSDF, Loretizo further claimed.

He said the NSDF account with the Philippine National Bank is the second account of PHILSOC and the source of funds is their 5 percent monthly share from PAGCOR based on R.A. 6847. He also said that the other account of the PHILSOC is with the Landbank of the Philippines.

PSC CHARGES, COA REPORT

Asked for his comment, Niere said he is referring Loretizo to paragraphs number 7 and number 12 of the plunder charges filed by PSC Chairman Harry Angping against Puentevella that clearly states what the Commission on Audit also reported about the way the solon had handled government money that had been entrusted to him.

He also said that Loretizo, being a commissioner of the PSC, should, in fact, be working with Angping to protect the funds of the government and should be among those filing charges against Puentevella. He has no business staying in the PSC if he cannot protect the agency funds from being misused, as discovered by the COA.

But, Niere also said, it is understandable, since it probably was Puentevella’s prize to recommend him there.

“What I stated are from the COA report,” Niere said. “And I would rather believe the COA than Loretizo. What I and other people are wondering about is how come Puentevella himself cannot answer the charges against him in public, and why he has to rely on his people to do it for him.”*CGS

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