Rabusa: Ex-solon Pichay got P500k per visit from AFP

Updated 2:27 p.m. - Former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay received a portion of the funds that were allegedly converted for the pay-off scheme in the military, whistle-blower Lt. Col. George Rabusa claimed on Monday. Rabusa also claimed that whenever Pichay visited the office of then AFP chief of staff Gen. Diomedio Villanueva, alleged plunderer former AFP comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia would ask him (Rabusa) to prepare P500,000 for Pichay. "Automatic nagpe-prepare ako ng P500,000 (So I automatically prepare P500,000 whenever he visits)," Rabusa said during Monday's Senate blue ribbon committee hearing. However, Rabusa, a former military budget officer, claimed that he does not know what the money was for. He said Pichay was the chairman of the House committee on national defense during that time. Garcia, on the other hand, said he does not know what Rabusa was talking about. "Wala po ako maalala na ganung pangyayari (I don't remember those things happening)," he said. Pichay, in an interview with GMA News Online, denied Rabusa’s accusations and even threatened to charge the latter with libel. “I’ve never visited any chief of staff. I’m very particular with the protocol. If you need something from the chief of staff, ipatawag mo sila hindi yung ikaw ang pupunta sa opisina nila," he said. He also denied receiving anything from the AFP. Pichay said he does not know nor recognize Rabusa. "Rabusa should limit his testimonies to first hand information. Baka gumagawa lang ng kwento yan. Masisira ang testimony niya dahil sa ganyan, it will weaken his affidavit," he said. “Ila-libel ko yan. Idadamay niya tayo e nanahimik na tayo. Irresponsible si Rabusa," Pichay said. Pichay ran but lost during the 2007 senatorial elections. In 2008, he was appointed board member of the Local Waterworks and Utilities Administration (LWUA). Widening web of military corruption For the first time on Monday, Rabusa accused civilians of being part of the corruption in the military. The other government officials whom Rabusa accused of allegedly receiving pay-offs were a former commissioner of the Commission on Audit and a resident auditor formerly assigned with the Intelligence Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). Rabusa said these officials were allegedly paid off so that military funds can be converted to a fund for the personal use of military officials. Testifying before a Senate panel hearing on Monday, Rabusa said he gave former COA Commissioner Raul Flores at least P200,000 whenever he asked for it. "Depende po sa pangangailangan. Hindi po bababa sa P200,000 ang binibigay ko sa kanya (It depends on his needs. But I don't give him anything below P200,000)," he told the Senate blue ribbon committee looking into the plea bargain deal between former Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia and the Office of the Ombudsman. On the other hand, he said former ISAFP auditor Divina Cabrera received 2 percent of the funds, usually sourced from the personnel services, which were converted to be used for the alleged payoff scheme in the military. Rabusa said Cabrera even requested during one occasion to burn documents that might leave a trail on the questionable conversions. "Some of the clearing documents are really delegated at her level," Rabusa said. Cabrera, however, denied Rabusa's allegation. "I did my job as auditor of COA, I based all my audit work based on the rules prescribed by the Commission on Audit (COA)," she said during the inquiry. Cabrera said she was auditor of the AFP for 13 years and is now assigned at the Philippine Navy, despite a COA rule saying auditors should only serve for three years in one assignment. P20-million "float" fund During the hearing, Rabusa also revealed the existence of a P20-million cash fund left with the current AFP fund manager that was supposedly meant for operational or personal use of the AFP chief of staff up to the J6. "He (Garcia) told me that the particular amount is intended for those superiors upstairs," said Rabusa. Rabusa explained that whenever the fund is on "critical" level or is in danger of being depleted, they convert the buffer in the allocation for personnel services through the ISAFP. Sen. Franklin Drilon said that the Department of Budget and Management annually gives an allocation for troop ceiling, the maximum number by which the military can recruit soldiers. However, the actual number of people or "warm bodies" in the military is always less than the ceiling so there is always around 20 percent or around P8 billion in savings left. "That is the problem that we have. The troop ceiling is funded to the extent of 44 billion. The actual warm bodies is only 80% of what is funded," he said. Rabusa said that when he was relieved, he turned over the float fund to his subordinate, former deputy budget officer Col. Antonio Ramon Lim. Lim said then comptroller Garcia said that he will "take charge" of the amount. Garcia, however, refused to answer and invoked his right against self-incrimination during Monday's hearing. Blowing whistles for whistle-blowers Meanwhile, members of the Akbayan party on Monday staged an activity to express their support for whistle-blowers Rabusa and former COA auditor Heidi Mendoza. Dubbed as the “blow your whistle for the brave whistleblowers", Akbayan members carried “oversized whistles", noise gadgets and colorful posters at Philcoa, Quezon City as an expression of support for Rabusa and Mendoza. Mendoza had followed the money trail of former military comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcia, who is facing a P303-million plunder suit at the Sandiganbayan, the anti-graft court. Garcia is out on bail after being allowed to plead guilty to two lighter offenses, even if the Sandiganbayan has yet to approve the plea bargaining agreement he made with Ombudsman special prosecutors. “We give our utmost support to the brave whistle-blowers that dared expose the gargantuan corruption inside the military. We laud them for their courageous efforts and as such, Akbayan together with the Filipino people will match it with the same act of bravery not only to expose the truth but also to hold those involved responsible," former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros said. - with Amita Legaspi, RSJ/VVP, GMA News