House majority leader faces plunder raps

MANILA, Philippines - House of Representatives Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II is facing a P315-million plunder case before the Office of the Ombudsman.

A group known as Sentinels of the Rule of Law accused Gonzales yesterday of misusing his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) from 2007 to 2008.

Gonzales denied the allegations yesterday.

Speaking to reporters, Gonzales said he will reply to the charges when the Office of the Ombudsman asks him to file an answer. 

The P315 million allocated to his district in Mandaluyong between 2007 and 2009 did not pass through him or his office, he added.

Gonzales said he had always chosen Mandaluyong to implement his projects.

“None of the funds went to any foundation,” he said. “It was released directly to the City of Mandaluyong as the implementing agency.”

Representing the complainants, Salvador Bañares said that based on the Commission on Audit (COA)’s special investigation report, Gonzales had spent public funds for questionable programs and projects, just like detained Sens. Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada.

These include the purchase of supplies and equipment for barangays and schools, as well as financial assistance programs like funeral services and livelihood projects, he added.

The COA report showed that the suppliers either denied the transactions or the suppliers could no longer be located, Bañares said.

On the other hand, Gonzales said he is wondering why Sentinels singled him out among the more than 300 former and incumbent lawmakers named in the COA report on PDAF allocations for 2007-2009.

“I don’t want to question their motive, but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth that I was singled out,” he said.

Gonzales said it is also possible that Sentinels wants to divert public attention away from those facing similar charges before the Office of the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan.

“That is why I have asked some lawyers and accountants to go over the COA report and help me prepare my answer in case I am required to submit it,” he said.

Bañares said they decided to initiate the filing of the criminal complaint because the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) appear reluctant or uninterested in filing it. – With Jess Diaz