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THE much-awaited showdown between two warring officials of the
Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) culminates next
week as Commissioner Nicasio Conti, who finished his three-month
public reform sector course in the United Kingdom on Friday, is
expected to report back to work, despite efforts by PCGG Chairman
Camilo Sabio to remove him from the agency.
Whether the claim of Conti that he is still a
commissioner of the agency still holds will be answered next week as
well, as sources within the agency revealed that it would take no
less than a Palace intervention to resolve the squabbles.
William Dichoso, who made a brief return to the
agency, was a casualty of the apparent internal war between Conti
and Sabio, as he opted to shun away from internal politics and
resign amid reports that his re-appointment is being met with
controversy.
Conti earlier said that he has a text message
from a source in Malacaņang, whom he refused to name, saying that
no move has been made to replace him. In effect, this means he is
still a commissioner of the PCGG.
No less than Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita
declared that Conti is still a commissioner of the PCGG.
Ermita made the pronouncement after reports said
that Sabio has been moving heaven and earth to oust Conti. Earlier
reports even claimed that Sabio threatened to resign if Conti
remains in the PCGG. This was debunked by Ermita. He stressed though
that nobody has the right to impose conditions on President Gloria
Arroyo.
Sabio ordered a probe on Conti for allegedly
accepting a P1-million donation from Philcomsat Holdings Corp. for
the PCGG Christmas party in 2005. Conti was the head of the
committee that organized the event but denied having any role in the
donation. Philcomsat is one of the sequestered companies of the PCGG.
Prior to his stint at the PCGG in 2005, Conti
received numerous death threats for leading a lifestyle check on
corrupt government officials as a commissioner of the Presidential
Anti-Graft Commission.
Conti, who also conducted a lifestyle check on
PCGG nominees in sequestered companies, reportedly led an
investigation into the questionable cash advances made by Sabio. He
also proposed that the Senate conduct an inquiry into the P1-million
donation from the Philcomsat.
Sources said that Sabio wants Conti out of the
PCGG, since Sabio perceived Conti as a threat to his post.
-- Francis Earl A. Cueto
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