Pichay, Gatchalians, 20 pa kinasuhan sa Sandiganbayan

NAKAKITA ng probable cause si Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales para idiin ang mga dating opisyal ng Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), corporate executives ng WELLEX Group Inc. (WGI), Forum Pacific Inc. (FPI) at Express Savings Bank Inc. (ESBI) kaugnay ng pinasok nilang deal noong 2009.

Kabilang sa mga kinasuhan sa Sandiganbayan sina dating LWUA chief Prospero Pichay Jr., Eduardo Bangayan, Aurelio Puentevella, Enrique Senen Montilla III, Wilfredo Feleo, Daniel Landingin, Arnaldo Espinas; WGI executives na sina Dee Hua Gatchalian, William Gatchalian, Elvira Ting, Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, Kenneth Gatchalian at Yolanda Dela Cruz; FPI executives Peter Salud, Geronimo Velasco, Jr., Weslie Gatchalian, Rogelio Garcia, Lamberto Mercado, Jr., Evelyn dela Rosa, Arthur Ponsaran at Joaquin Obieta; gayundin ang ESBI executives na sina George Chua, Gregorio Ipong, Generoso Tulagan, Wilfred Billena at Edita Bueno.

Tatlong bilang ng paglabag sa Section 3 (e) ng Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), tatlong malversation at paglabag sa Republic Act No. 8791 (General Banking Law of 2000) at Manual of Regulation for Banks ang kinakaharap ng mga akusado.

Sinasabing nag-ugat ang kaso sa pagbili ng LWUA sa ESBI, na isang local thrift bank na nakabase sa Laguna at pag-aari ng pamilya Gatchalian, FPI at WGI.

Makaraan ang bilihan, nagsara ang ESBI noong Hulyo 2011 at isinailalim ito sa ‘receivership’ ng Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC).

“The injury suffered by the government due to the respondents’ actions is undeniable, as it deprived the government of the opportunity to use the illegally expended funds to instead fund the agency’s lawful projects, not to mention the shares purchased by LWUA from FPI and WGI are now worthless, ESBI having been shuttered due to severe financial distress. The government effectively lost at least P80,003,070.51 in this questionable acquisition alone,” wika ni Morales.