Rabusa lying, says auditor he accused of plunder

He’s a liar.

This was retired government auditor Arturo Besana’s retort to his implication by retired Armed Forces of the Philippines budget officer George Rabusa in the alleged illegal conversion of some P1.5 billion in military funds from 1995 to 2004.

“My inclusion by Colonel Rabusa in the list of 17 in the plunder case is the strongest argument that Rabusa is a liar. From now on, Rabusa will have to prove his allegation. To the one who alleges goes the burden and discomfort of proving. To the one who denies goes the pleasure and comfort of proving nothing,” Besana, a former state auditor, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Aside from Besana, who retired in 2001, Rabusa also sued Lieutenant General Gaudencio Pangilinan, current chief of the AFP-Northern Luzon Command; retired Major General Ernesto Boac, and state auditors Manuel Warren and Crisanto Gabriel.

He presented over 4,000 documents that pertained to fund receipts, fund allotments and cash advances, “many of which were not really authorized.”

Besana, 74, said that after retiring from 40 years of government service, he remained poor. He said he had no house, no car, no van, “not even a pedicab.” He said he was behind in the rent for his house in San Isidro, one of the poorest barangays (villages) in Parañaque City.

His two young daughters had not been enrolled despite the school year having started and he still owed a Roman Catholic bishop, a childhood friend, P8,000.

An avid writer and reader, Besana said he was preparing to launch later this month a book on effective writing, when he heard about Rabusa’s complaint. He said his reputation as an author would be “ruined” by Rabusa’s claim.

The ex-auditor dared Rabusa to produce receipts and other evidence that would show he received large sums of money.

“Without that evidence or receipt, the one who accuses is the one who must have misappropriated the fund for himself. And should that happen, I will require Colonel Rabusa to account for what I did not receive plus the damage that he has brought to my family, my name, the hurt to my 14- and nine-year-old daughters, and my wife who will certainly be affected,” he said.

He also hinted that he might file a counter-complaint against Rabusa, saying: “My God, Rabusa and his cohorts will find no corner in this earth where they can hide from the wrath of the righteous.”