Novero defends Monico over plunder case
BACOLOD CITY — Former Bacolod City Vice Mayor Renecito Novero believes that the Plunder case filed against Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Monico O. Puentevella is not yet ripe for filing as the liquidation of the P50.5 million intended for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games is not yet completed.
The Commission on Audit has given the solon an extension of 45 days to complete the liquidation of the said funds that came from the Philippine Sports Commission, Novero averred.
He said that for the Plunder case to prosper it should involve P50 million and “what if the solon could justify the expenses for the SEA games? This would mean that the questionable amount would be lower or shorter than the P50 million, which is required for Plunder? What if the solon would refund the P50 million? So there will be no Plunder case to speak of?”
The filing of Plunder case against the solon is a precipitate filing which could have malice or has politics involved.
It’s a naked truth that there is a raging conflict at the Philippine Sports Commission and Chairman Angping is not in good terms with Cong. Puentevella.
Puentevella is facing a Plunder case for the alleged non-liquidation of the P50.5 million PSC funds which was given to BASOC for the staging of the Sea games here in 2005.
Moreover, Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia and several others are also facing a Plunder case which was filed by Sarah Teresa Esguerra, Othello Ramos and Victor Eduardo.
This allegedly involves the P72 million purchase of gasoline where the complainants considered it questionable.
However the camp of Leonardia has considered this as a fake Plunder case wherein the complainants are closely associated with the Bacolod solon.
Romeo Niere, a Bacolodnon, also raised his concern about the questionable depositing of the PSC money to the private account of the Congressman.
This is highly questionable because the check which was named after BASOC was deposited by the Bacolod solon to his private account, Niere said.
However, Atty. Novero said the check was named after BASOC and/or Cong. Monico O. Puentevella and this can be justified why it was deposited to his private account.
He said that time BASOC has no bank account of its own and the money needs to be en cashed to be used for the Sea games.
“If the Bacolod solon did not deposit it to his private account, then who will be blamed if the Sea games fail?” Novero asked.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has authorized either BASOC or Cong. Puentevella to en cash the check and those funds were spent for its purpose.
“Did Monico use the money for himself or for the Sea games? If he used it for the Sea games, then there will be no problem. If he can completely liquidate it, then there is no Plunder case to speak of,” Novero stressed.