Politicians, celebrities earned from Legacy - coalition

MANILA, Philippines – Among those who benefited from the now bankrupt Legacy Consolidated Plans Inc. were politicians and entertainment celebrities, a coalition leader bared Wednesday. In a report on GMA News’ “24 Oras," Phillip Piccio of the Parents Enabling Parents (PEP) Coalition told reporter Jun Veneracion that the information was provided by their witnesses who would come out in the open on Thursday. Aside from the two witnesses who are former employees of Legacy, Piccio said they have two boxes of evidence to pin down Celso de los Angeles Jr., chief executive officer of Legacy and also mayor of Sto. Domingo town in Albay province. Piccio said part of De los Angeles’ strategy was to ensure profits for the politicians who invested in his firm. “According to the witness, mayroon iba na parang sinisigurado ni De los Angeles na kumita ang mga ‘yan [De los Angeles seemed to have exerted efforts to see to it that those politicians earn from their investments]," said Piccio. The report also said some celebrities were paid to perform in De los Angeles birthday party last year. Piccio vowed to name the entertainers in the proper time. GMA News also obtained copies of vouchers that showed De los Angeles allegedly transferred funds from Legacy to his personal bank account. Two of the said vouchers amounted to P4 million and P3 million. The report said that from 2007 up to 2008, Piccio suspected that De los Angeles was dipping his hands in Legacy funds amounting to P30 million a month. He said it was done at the time De los Angeles announced that he was divesting his interest in the company after winning the mayoralty race in Sto Domingo. The report added that even De los Angeles’ son has a voucher from Legacy fund amounting to P500,000. De los Angeles’ counsel Noel Malaya downplayed the vouchers as evidence. “What is wrong (is) if it is not properly documented, there is no record, no paper trail. That is what I would be more afraid of. If it’s properly documented we have what we called advances of the officers," he explained. - GMANews.TV