Arroyo linked in P150M lotto intelligence fund

Friday, July 8, 2011
MANILA — A former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) executive on Thursday confirmed that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved the conversion of P150 million into an intelligence fund five months before the 2010 presidential elections.
During the continuation of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee inquiry into the PCSO fund fraud on Thursday, former PCSO vice chair and general manager Rosario Uriarte admitted that Arroyo approved a total of P195 million additional intelligence funds from 2008 to 2010.
“Yes, your honor,” Uriarte said when asked by Senator Franklin Drilon to confirm the signatures of the former President, as well as the Malacañang bar codes, as shown on the five memoranda that gave the go-signal for the release of the funds to Uriarte.
Uriarte told the panel that she was even present when former President Arroyo personally signed four of the six memoranda. She said that although the letters were pro forma, and therefore all the same, she briefed then President Arroyo in executive sessions.
She said the former President knew what the money was being spent on.
Senate Blue Ribbon committee chair Senator Teofisto Guingona III, in his opening statement, said intelligence funds for the PCSO jumped in 2010, while only P75 million was released in 2008, and P90 million in 2009. The intelligence budget for the PCSO in 2010 was P150 million.
The fund releases, staggered from January to April came “right before the elections,” he said.
“After three years, you spent a total of P325 million pesos to suppress these illegal activities. Did you arrest anyone? Who did you catch?” he added.
According to the Commission on Audit, only P14 million of P150 million in intelligence funds released in January 2010 remained when the current PCSO board took over.
Uriarte during Thursday’s hearing said the intelligence funds were used for the surveillance, discreet investigations, purchase of information and other related activities in connection with the PCSO’s experimental test run for the Small Town Lottery (STL) project.
When asked by Senator Panfilo Lacson who was the PCSO intelligence project officer, Uriarte said she handled the project, to the surprise of the members of the Senate panel investigating the PCSO fund scam.
“This is not the right way to handle an intelligence project,” Lacson, a former Philippine National Police chief, said.
Uriarte irked the senators for evading some questions, including a query from Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile who asked her about the custodian of the intelligence project.
“Who is the custodian? Are you also the custodian?” Enrile asked.
“I just gave it to President Arroyo,” Uriarte answered twice as Enrile asked her again why she gave the intelligence reports to the President when Uriarte claimed she was the intelligence officer.
Uriarte later changed her answer, claiming she was also the custodian of the intelligence information.
Enrile said that knowing the Arroyo administration was on its last months in power, Uriarte should have left the money for the next board of the PCSO.
He added the Senate can subpoena the reports, which Uriarte said were classified as confidential.
Enrile asked the former PCSO board members if they were aware of the P150 million intelligence funds that were approved by President Arroyo on January 4, 2010.
“I’m not aware your honor,” former PCSO chairman Sergio Valencia responded. Former PSCO board member Jose Taruc V echoed the same answer.
Another former PCSO board member, Raymundo Roquero, claimed the intelligence project had been discussed in the board but “I was not able to see the project documents.”
Lacson said the P150 million intelligence funds even surpassed the amount allotted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the intelligence gathering in a year.
“In the military, P10 million is already big for one project, but this P150 million was spent in only one intelligence project alone?” Lacson reacted, especially upon learning the P150 million was on top of the regular P60 million that had been allotted for 2010 PCSO budget.
Asked by Enrile, Uriarte said the P60 million was used for intelligence operation against text frauds and illegal fixers.
Uriarte said the PCSO intelligence funds are also used for the emergency operations, like natural calamities and for blood money.
Former PCSO board member Manuel Morato said senators should not compare the PCSO’s intelligence spending to that of the military and police.
This has prompted Lacson and Enrile to reply in unison that there is only one law that governs the use of intelligence funds. He later said Uriarte was not given a chance to explain herself.
She will be given that chance when the Senate holds a closed-door executive session on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Uriarte said she gave P20 million to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos to help migrant workers jailed in Saudi Arabia.
“We have already released a total of P20 million to the Department of Foreign Affairs for the payment of blood money for those overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were facing execution in Saudi Arabia,” Uriarte said.
Under the Saudi Arabian law, blood money can be paid in exchange for forgiveness and the dropping of charges.
To confirm Uriarte’s claim, Enrile requested for the attendance of DFA Undersecretary Isteban Conejos in the next Senate hearing.
Senator Drilon said Uriarte’s testimony could be very damaging to Arroyo since the former sweepstakes executive said she knew what was going on.
“The liability, in effect, is with the (former) President,” he said, adding the Office of the Ombudsman should look into the matter. (PNA/Sunnex)

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/07/08/arroyo-linked-p150m-lotto-intelligence-fund-165625

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices. Today, this wine shop in Clark Philippines offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world. As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years. Clark Wine Center is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

Residents of Pampanga Angeles City, Subic, Tarlac and Clark Philippines know of this wine shop as one of the best places in Clark, a good night out place and simply the best place to hang out, enjoy some good wine with cheese on the roof deck with good atmosphere, or just relax and unwind with friends and family in a cool place. This wine shop in Clark Pampanga is recognized by many to be one of the best places to buy fine vintage wine in the Philippines. Located near Mimosa Leisure Estate surrounded by golf courses, resorts and a casino, this well known wine shop is frequently visited for its good selection of wine not available in Manila or Subic. Clark Wine Center is open 7 days a week from 10am to 8pm. Private dinners, wine tastings and group gatherings can be organized by advanced reservation.

Foodies and wine lovers travel north from Manila to wine and dine at Philippines’ best fine dining restaurant in Pampanga Clark Freeport worth the 60-minutes drive for a memorable evening of good food with vintage wine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar. Most guests would stop by this famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center to bring home a few good bottles of fine vintage wine also. Other visitors may find the wine selections in some of the restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga to be less than interesting, so they stop by this wine shop near Angeles City Pampanga Clark Philippines, buy some good wines and bring these bottles of good vintage wines to the restaurants so they can enjoy the dinner.

Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Alsace, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina etc. are well represented in this Clark Wine Shop.

This is one of the frequently visited places for wine lovers from Manila and Angeles City to buy international wines in Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com