Cam, Balutan face off at Senate hearing on PCSO charter

Sandra Cam and Alexander Balutan—LYN RILLON

Former “jueteng” whistle-blower Sandra Cam faced off on Wednesday with General Manager Alexander Balutan of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in the Senate, accusing him of corruption, “militarizing” the agency and hiring a consultant who allegedly corners procurements below P1 million.

Cam, now a PCSO director, told a hearing of the Senate committee on games and amusement that she wanted to expose corruption in the PCSO under Balutan and recently resigned Chair Jose Jorge Corpuz as part of her responsibility to ensure that charity funds were spent on the poor.

She presented to the Senate panel a photo of a woman, whom she alleged to be a consultant “lording it over” PCSO procurements below P1 million, including the contract for the “lavish” corporate giveaways during the controversial Christmas party.

“I want General Manager Balutan to identify this woman,” Cam said.

Balutan questioned Cam for raising the issue, asking Sen. Panfilo Lacson, panel chair, if it was still part of the hearing. In reply, Lacson reminded all resource persons to stick to the issues related to amending the 83-year-old charter of the PCSO.

Side issues

“Let us focus there. These are side issues,” the senator told Cam.

Balutan on the side also commented: “I have a lot of girlfriends. Maybe she’s not one of them.”

But Cam insisted that she was showing the picture of a woman because she wanted the people to know who she was. Balutan confirmed to the committee that the woman was a PCSO consultant.

Cam and Balutan have been feuding since she questioned the PCSO’s lavish Christmas party.

Balutan told the panel that the Department of Budget and Management had approved the original Christmas party budget of P14 million but he had it cut down to P6 million.

‘Impeccable record’

He said the amount covered 1,500 employees from all over the country who attended the party.

Balutan challenged Cam to bring all her accusations of corruption and mismanagement against him to court.

“I was in the service for 37 years, four months, survived more than 50 military operations, four ambushes and with an impeccable record. Do not challenge me. I will not cower,” said Balutan, a retired major general and former vice commander of the Navy.

P75,000 for Mass

At the hearing, Sen. Manny Pacquiao questioned Balutan over the P75,000 the agency had spent for a thanksgiving Mass.

Balutan said P15,000 was payment for the priest who officiated the Mass and the rest for the “physical preparation” of the venue.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymond Villafuerte pointed out that spending government funds for church activities was disallowed by law.

For its part, the Commission on Audit (COA) told the hearing that documents related to the Christmas party and the Mass had yet to submitted for audit.

Lacson later told reporters there appeared to be procurement violations on the part of the PCSO and that it should immediately submit the documentary requirements to the COA.