ANGELES CITY– Has the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) become the latest nest of corruption under the Aquino administration? A paper from “concerned members of the PCG” now making the rounds in Congress has reported questionable appointments of officials to sensitive posts in the PCG allegedly with the blessings of Transportation and Communications Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya.
The paper titled “On Conspiracy and Corruption in the Philippine Coast Guard” also sought a lifestyle check on one of the top PCG officials. The paper noted the “alarming” lifestyle of the wife of a ranking PCG official, noting her “unabashed flaunting of her expensive bags, parties and travels.”
The letter said that this year alone, the wife travelled to more than 10 countries including Italy, Australia, Japan, Singapore either with her kids, friends or her husband. Thewife has been posting her travels in her Instagram account, it added.
The paper said that the questionable appointments to top PCG positions seemed designed “to protect allocated budgets for the PCG such as SARO No. A-13-00584, released March 4, 2013 addressed to PCG Commandant Rodolfo Isorena, amounting to P104.673 million for March and April 2013 Capability Development Program for the West Philippine Sea which is a part of the P1.495 billion budget allotted by the National Government (from the Malampaya Fund) for PCG Modernization.”
“Aside from the almost P1.5 billion allotted fund for modernization, PCG, now a civilian agency under DOTC has easy access to loans, grants and other budgetary sources. In December, 2013, another loan agreement worth P9.27 billion ($206.9 million) was signed for maritime safety improvement,” the paper also noted.
It noted appointments made last year by PCG Commandant Rodolfo Isorena and included Commodore Joselito de la Cruz, reportedly a former classmate of Abaya, as PCG headquarters chief of staff, acting commander of the Coast Guard Fleet where major ship repairs are bidded out, and chair of the headquarters bids and awards committee.
“Is it not very obvious that one person holding all three positions in the PCG is conflict of interest?” noted the paper. The paper also noted the promotions of two commodores who were supposed to have been compulsorily retired last year.
Their promotions are now under question before the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 41, as filed by Commodores Ramon Reblora and Lazaro Valdez. “Are they (Abaya, Isorena, and the newly appointed PCG officials) truly guarding the Philippines’ interest in the West Philippine Sea or are they guarding the funds that comes with the PCG modernization to control for their own vested interests?” the paper asked.