‘Rehashed’ graft complaint meant to destroy GSIS chief’s image – counsel

MANILA, Philippines - The chief legal counsel of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) on Saturday said the graft charges filed against the state pension fund’s officials were only meant to destroy their image. According to a report from radio dzBB, lawyerr Estrella Elamparo believed that the charges filed with the Office of the Ombudsman were "rehashed complaints" aimed at staining the reputation of GSIS President Winston Garcia and 11 other officials. The Parents Teachers Coalition for Advancement (PTCA) filed a complaint against the GSIS officials for the "questionable" buying of Manila Electric Co (Meralco) shares as well as the slashing of the retirement pay of school teachers last July. The complainants said what the GSIS officials did was a violation of the Section 24 of Republic Act 8291, or the GSIS Act of 1997; and Article 239 of the Revised Penal Code, or Usurpation of Legislative Functions and Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Aside from Garcia, also named as respondents in the graft case were Executive Vice President Olita Tiangco; Board of Trustees Chairman Bernardino Abes; and members Victoria Ablan, Jesse Andres, Mario Ramirez, Esperanza Ocampo, Reynaldo Palmiery, Alejandro Roces, Jesus Santos, and Nita Javier. Elamparo said that stakeholders were just afraid of the changes that Garcia wanted to implement on Meralco. She also defended the officials for depositing money in the bank account of former GSIS Treasurer Consuelo Manansala. Elamparo said that if you ask experts, you can transfer money temporarily to a bank account of a treasurer in trust if it would be used in forming a corporation, in this case the GSIS properties.Kimberly Jane Tan, GMANews.TV