Ex-PhlPost chief faces graft raps

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft charges against former Philippine Postal Corp. (PhlPost) chief Diomedio Villanueva over an allegedly anomalous grant of a P53-million refund to a US-based company in 2003.

In an information sheet filed recently before the Sandiganbayan, the ombudsman charged Villanueva with violating Republic Act 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Also named respondents were former assistant postmaster general Antonio Siapno and former PhlPost accounting department director Leonido Basilio.

Ombudsman graft investigation and prosecution officer II Leilani Tagulao-Marquez said the respondents gave unwarranted benefit to PhlPost USA, a privately owned corporation based in New York City, by giving the company a refund of $1,031,936.04 (P53,043,834.52) in November 2003.

The refund was for the terminal dues paid by the company for the mails sent to Royal Mail, a post office in the United Kingdom, using Philippine postage seal.

PhlPost entered into an agreement with the US firm on April 23, 2003 for the provision of mail international services to US residents using Philippine postage seal.

Marquez said exemption from terminal fees was not among the terms agreed upon in the deal.

“The respondents conspired in giving unwarranted benefit to PhlPost USA when they knew that it was not entitled thereto, causing damage to PhlPost,” the ombudsman said.

The anti-graft agency recommended bail of P30,000 for each respondent.

Prior to his stint at the PhlPost, Villanueva served as Armed Forces chief from March 2001 to May 2002 under the Arroyo administration.

He became controversial after he was linked to the “pabaon” (sendoff gift) scandal for military officials.