Former chair Manuel Morato of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Thursday complained that senators were biased against him and other former officials of the agency in their hearing on alleged fund anomalies.
But that did not stop Morato from sneaking in a few blows of his own at current PCSO Chair Margarita Juico, who had set off the controversy by alleging that some bishops had received sport utility vehicles from the agency.
Morato furnished reporters with a document alleging that Juico had dipped her fingers into the advertising funds of the PCSO during her stint as director from 2001 to 2005.
The document purportedly showed Juico spending at least P24.5 million in PCSO funds for advertisements of her choice on radio, television and print. The single biggest ad placement was P4.8 million on radio under an item called “Mareco Bdctg.”
“Only the general manager should determine where the fund should go,” Morato told reporters after the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing. “But she asked and asked for this fund for her own beneficiaries.”
Juico: A lie
Morato did not present the document during the actual hearing.
Reacting to Morato’s claim, Juico said: “He has always been like that, lying through his teeth. Anyone who believes him is twice a fool.”
Morato questioned Juico’s credibility in calling attention to the supposed misuse of the PCSO’s advertising fund. “But she herself is enjoying this,” he said.
Morato threatened to disclose supposedly questionable activities by Juico at the PCSO prior to her appointment as its chairperson by President Aquino.
“She better pray when I start talking,” Morato told reporters in Filipino outside the hearing. “I will talk about her corruption in the past… I was not involved in corruption, but she, her husband … it’s a family corporation, by golly!”
Ad placements
In Morato’s document titled “Advertisements c/o Director Juico,” Juico allegedly channeled ad funds amounting to P8,453,100 for radio, P14,050,000 for TV, and P2 million for print.
The television ads included P3.96 million for Global Sports Media, P1.98 million for the “Philippine 9-Ball (competition),” P3.9 million for Verbo Media “Double Team,” and P250,000 for an event titled “Bakbakan sa Elorde.”
In various newspapers, Juico supposedly spent P300,000 each for ads for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s “1st Acoustic Valentine,” “Hitmakers,” and “Sheryn Regis & Christian Bautista” concerts.
Another ad worth P350,000 was allegedly placed for Pagcor’s “Acoustic Festival.”