The multi-sectoral group Save Bacolod Movement accused Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella of deceptions and lies for insisting that circumstances had forced him to deposit the P50.5 million funds for the hosting of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in 2005 in Bacolod City to his personal current account.

At a press conference held at Sweet Greens yesterday, SBM member Romy Niere said Puentevella lied when he said in media interviews that the BASOC has no legal personality; thus he was forced to deposit the funds from the Philippines Sports Commission to his current account No. 0422-14824 at the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation-Bacolod Branch.

He insisted that, because of time constraint, BASOC could not process Securities and Exchange Commission Registration for its legal personality, thus all four checks issued by the PSC went to his personal account, the group said.

However, the SBM said that Puentevella lied when he continued to insist that BASOC does not have its own bank account when, in fact, the City Government of Bacolod had deposited two checks amounting to P9 million to the BASOC RCBC-Bacolod bank account number 0422-148124 as its share in the hosting of the SEAGames in 2005, Niere said.

The SBM uncovered documents which revealed that on Oct. 20, 2005, Bacolod City deposited a Philippine National Bank check for P6 million to the BASOC, and on Nov. 8, 2005 deposited a Land Bank of the Philippines check ffor P3 million again to the same BASOC account, it said.

The fourth check issued by the PSC to the BASOC was dated November 18, 2005 already.

Ramon Viva, spokesman of Puentevella, however, said this is just a “black propaganda” to mislead the public. They want the public to believe that the solon deposited the checks to his personal account so he could steal the money, he said.

Viva said the BASOC account came later, only when the city released to it its P9 million assistance.

He said the first check released by the PSC to BASOC was in July 28 amounting to P20 million and the second was another P20 million and at that time there was no BASOC account yet. So where will the solon deposit the account? He asked.

He said the Paglaum Sports Complex needed to be repaired and lights had to be installed and if they waited for the BASOC account to be opened, the SEA Games may not have pushed through.

Only well meaning people understood that except for the SBM and the mayor’s allies, Viva added.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Sports Commission has filed plunder charges against Puentevella based on the findings of the Commission on Audit that the funds intended for the BASOC had been disbursed to several persons and entities, many of them without corresponding receipts as required by law.

The COA also noted that some facilities reported to have been installed or repaired could not be found, and that funds were also released for the beautification of a cemetery that is not covered by the expenses allowed for the sports activity.

Aside from Niere, other SBM members present at the press conference yesterday were Boy Zayco, Rodolfo Frias, Ali Rubin and Greg Gustilo.*CGS

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