Ex-PCSO exec admits making disbursement requests to former President Arroyo

The former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) official who is in hot water over the disbursement of millions of pesos of the agency's intelligence funds on Thursday admitted that she used to deliver disbursement requests to former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Rosario Uriarte, former PCSO general manager, admitted this after Senator Franklin Drilon questioned her why she was the one who was always sent to request intelligence funds from the former President. "You appear to be very close to the former President," said Drilon during Thursday's hearing on the alleged anomalies in the PCSO. In response, Uriarte said she has known Arroyo since late '80s or early '90s. She said she worked with the former President when she was still undersecretary at the Department of Trade and Industry. She also said that she served as Arroyo's consultant from time to time when she was still a senator and as an employee in the Palace's appointment office. On Thursday, it was revealed that the PCSO – through Uriarte as former PCSO general manager and assigned disbursing officer – requested P325 million in intelligence funds from Arroyo. Uriarte said that every time she delivered a request to Arroyo, they would only talk about the project and not the funds itself. "Ang tanong lang po niya is more on the project po na aming ginagawa (Her questions were more on the project we working on)," she said. Drilon, however, warned her over her statements. "You are implicating the former President by saying she is part of this crime," he said, adding that Uriarte may be guilty of plunder considering the amount of money involved. The Senate hearing was still ongoing as of posting time. — LBG/KBK, GMA News