Bayan Muna lawmakers file plunder raps vs Arroyo, Uriarte over handling of PCSO funds

MANILA, Philippines—Bayan Muna partylist lawmakers Teodoro Casiño and Neri Colmenares filed on Tuesday plunder charges against former president and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former PCSO general manager Rosario Uriarte for their alleged mishandling of the PCSO funds.

The complaint was filed before Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro who said this would be among the priority cases in his office.

The lawmakers also asked the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct a lifestyle check on Arroyo and Uriarte and to sequester documents related to the PCSO’s transactions.

Mrs. Arroyo and Uriarte came under fire after the Senate Blue Ribbon committee learned from Uriarte herself that Arroyo approved the appropriation of hundreds of millions of pesos in PCSO money as intelligence funds in the setting up of the small town lottery to combat the illegal numbers game “jueteng” in different provinces.

Uriarte added some of the money was used as blood money to save Filipino workers sentenced to death for murder in Saudi Arabia.

The old PCSO management during the Arroyo administration is also being investigated for its costly advertising budget, the grant of ambulances to the districts of Arroyo allies and the donation of cash to Catholic bishops for the purchase of their sports utility vehicles.

The bishops have apologized for accepting the donations but emphasized there was no malice in their acceptance of the money, saying the resources were used for their social outreach and charity work in remote provinces.

Critics, however, said the cash donations might have violated the constitutional provision on the separation of the Church and State.

Senators also questioned the lack of transparency or clarity in the use of the intelligence funds, although some said Arroyo could be held liable for malversation of funds, but not plunder.