#pichay

[breakingnewsphilippines]

Latest Breaking News: Pichay, Esperon were officials of Napoles firms, document filed with SEC show

August 03, 2013 at 05:52AM: Former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay and former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. were stockholders and... (Click the link to read more)

Continue reading Pichay, Esperon were officials of Napoles firms, document filed with SEC show. Article first posted at GMANetwork.com and compiled by www.breakingnews.ph.

[clipseiriberri]

Cong Pichay wants export of mineral ores banned

Two Surigao solons want export of mineral ores banned

First District Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Matugas and Second District Surigao del Sur Rep. Philip Pichay stand firm in banning exports of all mineral ores.  The lawmakers also urged mining firms to develop mineral processing plants in the area where they operate. Speaking before the Caraga Regional Development Council (RDC) and in the first Surigao del Norte Livelihood Summit on Thursday, Matugas, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, said that the setting up of mineral processing plants, for instance in Surigao del Norte, would provide mass employment opportunities and add values on the extracted mineral ores from the province. Matugas said Surigao del Norte is the mining capital of Caraga Region and the region is the mining capital not only in the Philippines but in Asia as well. Pichay, for his part, said he supported the Surigao del Norte solon, saying there were lots of logic in the proposal than at present set up where mineral ores are being brought to other countries like China, process them then brought them back in the Philippines as finished products. Pichay cited the once huge mountains of Suirgao del Sur where thousands if not millions of tons of mineral ores extracted are brought directly to other countries. “Kung iipunin nyo po lahat ng lupa dinala sa ibang bansa ng mga mining companies siguro you can already make an island enough to become a city while mountains in Surigao del Sur are slowly becoming swimming pool” Pichay told PNA while about to leave the RDC meeting venue in an ambush interview.. The two Surigao provinces are known to be rich in mining resources Matugas, in his speech before Livelihood Summit here, said that establishment of processing plants would generate employment and local government revenues. He said that at present set up, where mining firms are only into extracting mineral ores from the province, local government units or towns hosting mining operations only get extraction fees and business taxes while the excise tax go to the national government coffers. “Para lang tigahakot lupa ang mga yan tapos iiwanan na probinisya namin after let’s say 25 years . swimming pool na yung bundok,” Matugas said. Matugas said the people who lived within the mining site mineral resources in any country were owned by the people who lived within the sites, thus they must be the ones to benefit from them. Surigao del Norte has about 12 mining of the 37 mining companies now operating in Caraga Region. Dinagat Islands has 13 presently operating while Surigao del Sur has seven mining firms. (Ben Serrano/PNA)

[clipseiriberri]

Malacañang orders DOH to effect dismissal of Pichay

Malacanang has ordered the implementation of the dismissal of Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) chairman Prospero Pichay Jr. on grounds of grave misconduct and violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. In a press briefing at the Palace Monday, Presidential Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. has ordered Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Enrique Ona to implement the dismissal order from the Office of the Ombudsman. Valte added that Secretary Ona, for his part, has coordinated with LWUA acting administrator Salvador Ner for the immediate implementation of the order. “I have checked with the Office of the Executive Secretary and ES Ochoa has written to Secretary Enrique Ona of the DoH about the transmittal of the order of the Office of the Ombudsman for the dismissal of Chairman Pichay, and I have checked with the office of Secretary Ona and they have written to the acting administrator of LWUA giving instructions to effect the order of dismissal by the Office of the Ombudsman,” Valte said. LWUA is under the DOH. Valte further said that Pichay could still appeal the decision before the Supreme Court but his dismissal will be implemented immediately pursuant to the rules of the anti-graft agency. “Pwede pa ho siyang umapela sa korte ngunit ang desisyon po kasi ng Office of the Ombudsman na meron pong ganitong penalty ay immediately executory even pending appeal,” Valte said. On July 4, acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro ordered the dismissal from duty of Pichay and two other LWUA officials – acting administrator Daniel Landingin and acting deputy administrator Wilfredo Feleo – for their alleged unlawful use of P780 million in state funds for acquiring Express Savings Bank Inc. in 2009. Acting Ombudsman Casimiro said that the three sacked LWUA officials were stripped of all benefits and permanently disqualified from working in government.

[savecantilan-blog-blog]

Ombudsman dismisses LWUA chief Pichay

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) Monday dismissed from the service Local Water Utilities Administrator Prospero “Butch” Pichay and three other officials for illegal investment of LWUA funds in Express Savings Bank, a small thrift bank based in Laguna.

Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro had earlier suspended Pichay, a former Surigao del Sur congressman, for grave misconduct for spending P780 million to acquire the savings bank without clearance from the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of Finance (DoF).

He said records showed that LWUA got the clearance to acquire the bank from Malacañang on October 14, 2009, four months after it actually bought the bank.

Dismissed with Pichay for grave misconduct were acting LWUA Administrator Daniel Landingin, acting Deputy Administrator Wilfredo Feleo, and Corporate Legal Officer Arnaldo Espias.

In a resolution, Casimiro said that for grave misconduct “dismissal from the service with the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from public office and forfeiture of all benefits is imposed upon them.” He also said that the order is effective immediately.

[clipseiriberri]

Pichay: Case vs. LWUA political persecution

MANILA, Philippines - Former Surigao del Sur Representative and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) trustee Prospero Pichay Jr. filed his counter-affidavit Thursday at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on charges of violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Revised Penal Code and the Manual of Regulations for banks in connection with LWUA's acquisition of financially troubled bank, Express Savings Bank, Inc. (EXSBI), filed by finance chief Cesar Purisima.

Speaking to reporters, Pichay said he has questioned the jurisdiction of the DOJ in handling the preliminary investigation of the complaint since he was charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for the same facts, allegations and charges contained in Purisima's complaint - a case still pending at the anti-graft office.

Pichay insists the Ombudsman has primary jurisdiction over the case.

"We're questioning the jurisdiction, otherwise it will be forum-shopping," he said.

In his counter-affidavit, which he personally subscribed to, Pichay raised the following points:

-On allegations of malversation: only accountable officers can be accused of malversation which excludes him for being a non-accountable officer;

-On allegations of violations of the General Appropriations Act (GAA): he did not use any money coming from the GAA but used an "internally-generated fund" from LWUA. Moreover, the GAA does not state that the acquisition or investment in a private corporation cannot be done by a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) such as LWUA.

"First of all, we wanted to create a bank but since the Central Bank said there was a moratorium, so they advised us to acquire a bank. When you acquire a bank, I'm sure that if it is a profitable bank, [management is] not going to sell it. So normally, ano ba ang naa-acquire na banks? Yung mga banks na not doing so well.

"There were 2 banks that we considered. One was a profitable bank with a capitalization of P40-million, with one branch. They were selling it at P250-million. The other one was a bank with 4 branches, a capitalization of P100-million, a deficiency of P51-million. So in other words mayroon pang natitirang capitalization of P49-million, P9-million more than the previous one with one branch, and it was only selling for P80-million. If you were in my shoes, what will you buy?" Pichay said, referring to EXSBI as the second bank.

Pichay said EXSBI made P31-million in 2010 and P20-million so far in 2011.

"We are expecting to make at least P40-45 million this year. And not only that, look at the benefits - napautang namin ay P300-million sa water district at 12,000 households na po ang nag-benefit nito. Aside from that, kumita yung bangko from the 13 water districts na napautang namin," he said.

"Ang importante kasi is yung taumbayan na nabigyan natin ng malinis at murang tubig. If only Purisima will look at it, he will realize that he has been stupid all this time," he said.

Political persecution

Asked if he felt the charges are a product of political prosecution, him being a staunch ally of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Pichay said, "Of course it is a political persecution. Look around you, everybody has been accused of either tax evasion, plunder. Even justices of the Sandiganbayan have been told to resign. You'll just have to agree with them so that you will not be persecuted."

"Basically, this is the work of Secretary Purisima," Pichay said.

The 35-page complaint also named other LWUA trustees as respondents, namely, Renato S. Velasco, Susana Dumlao Vargas, Bonifacio Mario M. Pena, Sr. and Daniel Landingin.

[clipseiriberri]

the rich cantilangnons...

[allfresh-blog]

Pichay denies receiving AFP funds

denies receiving AFP funds:MANILA, Philippines:Former Surigao del Sur Congressman Prospero Pichay http://bit.ly/hvxl2x

[allfresh-blog]

Pichay tumanggap ng P.5M kada pagbisita sa AFP-- Rabusa

tumanggap ng P.5M kada pagbisita sa AFP-- ng bahagi ng pondo na umano