October 15, 2003, The Philippine Star, PCSO challenges Ping to file charges, by Pia Lee-Brago,

October 15, 2003, The Philippine Star, PCSO challenges Ping to file charges, by Pia Lee-Brago,

An official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) denied yesterday allegations by opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson that Malacañang exerted pressure for funding assistance to a "favored" organization. 

Lawyer Raul Ancheta, chief of staff of PCSO general manager Rosario Uriarte, lashed out at Lacson for his allegations that the PCSO illegally disbursed funds to a group calling itself the Gawin Natin Lakas-Pinoy (GNLP). 

The group is reportedly behind the "Run, Gloria, Run" posters plastered on concrete walls and posts in Metro Manila and elsewhere in the country. 

"We challenge him to proceed to court and file proper cases if he really has the evidence. He only wants to grandstand," Ancheta said. "The burden of proof is on him, not on us, that we committed (something illegal)." 

Ancheta, who was one of the incorporators of the GNLP but had to resign when he joined the PCSO in January, belied Lacson’s allegation that PCSO released P2 million in funding assistance to the GNLP with the approval of the Office of the President to assist in Mrs. Arroyo’s political plans. 

He said the P2 million Lacson mentioned in his privilege speech was intended to fund a feeding program for indigent communities. 

Only P600,000 out of the P2 million was released by the PCSO for the feeding program for about 28,000 indigent beneficiaries in Metro Manila, as reflected in a check issued by the agency on July 25, Ancheta said. 

He added that the PCSO can release the remaining P1.4 million to GNLP once the groups submits its liquidation report. Any disbursement, however, will have to go through the process of deliberation and approval by the PCSO board of directors and the Office of the President. 

Prior to Lacson's privilege speech last Monday, the GNLP informed the agency it will submit its liquidation report on the P600,000 funding assistance for the feeding program within the week. 

Foundations, hospitals and local government units granted funding assistance by the PCSO are required to submit a liquidation report within six months from the date the fund is released. 

The PCSO also accepted Lacson’s challenge to submit the agency’s financial records to an independent audit. 

He denied he enjoys a close association with the First Couple, but said Uriarte hired him to be her chief of staff. Uriarte, however, was reported to be a friend of President Arroyo since her days with the Garments and Textile Export Board years ago. 

Ancheta noted that Lacson himself referred several people to the PCSO for assistance. 

"He has many referrals which we accommodated. If they are qualified as indigents, we help" them, he said.

Meanwhile, leaders of the GNLP said they are ready to face Lacson and show that his accusations are "a combination of half-truths and outright lies." 

GNLP national president Nathan Zulueta said his group used the P600,000 funding assistance given by the PCSO to mount two feeding programs, one in August and another on Sept. 22. 

He said the August feeding program cost P289,800 and covered 21 areas in Marikina, Quezon City, Taguig, Makati, Pasay, Manila, Pasig, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, Mandaluyong, Las Piñas, Malabon, San Juan, Navotas and Pateros. 

The second feeding program amounted to P303,600 and covered the same areas, Zulueta said. 

He said the money they used for the posters and streamers urging the President to run in the 2004 elections came from their members, who are mostly businessmen, and not the PCSO. 

Zulueta, who is also the chairman of the Quezon City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said their group spent P60,000 of its own money to print 40,000 streamers and posters. — with Pamela Samia, Paolo Romero