Senate opens inquiry into prepaid 'disappearing load' cases

The Senate committee on trade and commerce will open its inquiry into the case of the "disappearing e-load" controversy that allegedly victimized millions of Filipinos, including Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who owns pre-paid account mobile phone services.

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce tasked to investigate the case, has invited representatives from Globe Telecoms, Smart Communications Inc. and Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. (Sun Cellular) to attend the hearing scheduled at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Also invited to the hearing were Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez and National Telecommunications Commission Chair Ruel Canobas to shed light on how government regulates the mobile phone industry.

"Susuriin nating mabuti kung paanong pinangangalagaan ng pamahalaan ang interes ng mga mobile phone users," Roxas said.

"Kailangan din nating silipin kung sumusunod nga sa patakaran ng pamahalaan itong mga telcos na ito at kung totoo ang mga reklamo na inaabuso nila ang milyon-milyong subscribers ng mga pre-paid plans," he added.

Senate President Enrile delivered a privilege speech two weeks ago rebuking mobile phone companies because the pre-paid call credits loaded into his mobile phone "disappeared," a case which he said afflicts millions of other Filipinos.

As of December 2007, records show an estimated 57 million subscribers of the three giant telecommunication companies, which have registered total gross revenues of P149.5 billion in 2007. Industry players say the current volume of text messages per day reaches 2 billion or 16,200 text messages per second.

Monday, June 15, 2009 | posted in globe, juan ponce enrile, leandro mendoza, mar roxas, peter favila, philippines, raul gonzalez, ruel canobas, smart, sun cellular | 0 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas to gov't: Move fast to attach Legacy assets

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas last Friday asked three government agencies to move fast to attach the assets of businessman Celso de los Angeles and his failed Legacy Group of Companies to protect planholders and investors from losing their investment.

Roxas made the call after transmitting to the three government agencies copies of documentary and testimonial evidence gathered by the Senate in its investigation into the Legacy mess triggered by an inquiry into the financial problems of the pre-need industry.

Senator Mar Roxas comforts a crying Bernadette Raymundo who told Roxas that she lost her life's savings because of the collapse of the Rural Bank of Subangdaku, one of the 13 Legacy banks that collapsed because of mismanagement by controversial businessman Celso de los Angeles. Roxas met Raymundo at the assembly hall of Siliman University in Dumaguete City yesterday during a forum with victims of the Legacy collapse organized by the Parents Enabling Parents (PEP) Coalition.

He said the documents from the Senate hearing transmitted to the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC), the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice (DoJ) are more than enough to cause the attachment of De los Angeles' assets, many of which are part of the trust fund of the two collapsed Legacy pre-need companies and the assets of the 13 Legacy banks that declared bankruptcy late last year.

He said the evidence also prove allegations that De los Angeles engaged in illegal business transactions and diverted Legacy funds for his personal use.

"Considering the seriousness of these allegations, we trust that your office will conduct an in-depth investigation on the matter and expeditiously act to cause the attachment of all assets that may have been acquired using the trust fund and deposit accounts of Legacy policy holders and depositors," he said in separate letters sent to PDIC president Jose Nograles, SEC chairperson Fe Barin and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.

Documents transmitted to the PDIC includes copies of the Transcript of proceedings of the four committee public hearings (February 2, February 10, March 2 and March 9) and the sworn affidavits of former Legacy chief executive officer Carolina Hinola, chief finance officer Namnama Pasetes-Santos, Paul Montenegro, Myrna Axalan and Jeannette Ortiz.

The SEC and the DoJ, on the other hand, were given copies of the Transcript of proceedings of the 4th public hearing last March 9 and sworn affidavits of Hinola and Santos.

The Ilonggo senator said the affidavits of Hinola and Santos are relevant to the investigations being conducted by the three offices, particularly on De los Angeles' alleged misuse and misappropriation of the trust funds and bank deposit accounts of the Legacy group of companies.

Also, the Senate committee wrote House Speaker Prospero Nograles and furnished his office certified true copies of the sworn affidavit of Santos and vouchers and checks showing the disbursement of a total of P1.8 million to Paranaque Rep. Eduardo Zialcita drawn from Legacy' pre-need trust fund.

Santos had testified that Legacy Consolidated Plans Inc. (LCPI) paid Zialcita a consultancy fee of P100,000 monthly on the instructions of De los Angeles. The checks, she claimed, were received by the congressman's former secretary identified as one Leila Omana.

Zialcita is a second cousin of SEC Commissioner Jesus Martinez, who has been accused of "protecting" Legacy's interests within the SEC. Witnesses have alleged the Legacy group paid for a P5 million house and lot in Paranaque that Martinez gave his son.

"In observance of the inter-parliamentary courtesy customarily practiced by members of both houses of Congress, I transmit herewith (these documents) for your reference and in support of whatever action you may deem appropriate under the circumstances," Roxas said.

He added members of the House can examine and verify the original vouchers and checks, which are in the custody and safekeeping of the Senate Blue Ribbon Oversight Office Management (BROOM).

Sunday, March 15, 2009 | posted in carol hinola, celso de los angeles, ed zialcita, fe barin, jose nograles, legacy group of companies, mar roxas, namnama pasete-santos, prospero nograles, raul gonzalez | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: No justice in Teehankee release

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas on Tuesday criticized the early release from prison last week of Claudio Teehankee, Jr. after the celebrity convict served 14 years for three heinous crimes committed in 1991, as he lamented the patently unequal application of justice in the country.

"Itong si Teehankee, after 14 years pinalaya na. Ilang mga mahirap na preso ang nakakulong ng mas higit pa sa 14 taon dahil mahirap sila at walang abogadong umaayos ng kanilang paglaya?" he said.

"Mali ito. Hindi pantay ang hustisya sa mahirap at mayaman, kaya wala nang tiwala ang mga tao sa hustisya sa bansa natin. Dapat pantay-pantay ang aplikasyon ng hustisya dito sa ating bansa," he said.

Roxas’ reaction was prompted by the admission of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez that Teehankee’s release was facilitated by a visit of his brother, Philippine Representative to the World Trade Organization Manuel Teehankee, a former Justice undersecretary, to intercede and seek early release of his jailed older brother.

Following the former DOJ undersecretary’s visit, Gonzalez said he ordered the Bureau of Corrections and the Board of Pardons and Parole to recompute Claudio Jr.'s credits. President (Gloria) Arroyo thereafter granted Claudio Jr. executive clemency in late September.

"Nakalulungkot lang na mas mabilis aksyunan ng ating mga opisyal ang mga aplikasyon para sa clemency at pardon ng mga mayayaman at maimpluwensiyang preso. Nakakaawa naman ang maraming preso na tumanda na sa kulungan pero hanggang ngayon ay naghihintay pa rin ng awa ng gobyerno," he said.

"Dapat ipaliwanag ng gobyerno sa publiko ang dahilan kung bakit pinalaya nang maaga si Teehankee. Ipakita nila kung bakit nararapat ang maagang pagpapalaya na ito. Dahil kung hindi, at magpatuloy ang ganitong larangan ng palakasan, talagang durug-durog na ang rule of law sa ating bansa," Roxas said.

He urged the Justice Department to also review the cases and applications for clemency and pardon of other convicts, particularly the elderly who have no financial resources for the quick facilitation of their applications.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008 | posted in claudio teehankee jr., doj, manuel teehankee, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, president, raul gonzalez | 0 comments [ More ]