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By Jomar Canlas Reporter
Criminal and administrative
charges were filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against Lauro
Baja, the former Philippine permanent representative to the United
Nations, for alleged corruption.
This case before Ombudsman
Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez is different from the one that was
filed in New York recently by Baja’s former domestic helper.
In a complaint-affidavit, Jaime
Jacob, a commissioner of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission,
accused the former envoy of having undue interest in the
construction and repair of the official residence of the UN
ambassador in New York City, amounting to $48,498 or roughly P2.18
million.
The complaint-affidavit was filed
on March 12, 2008 and was obtained by The Manila Times recently. It
is the subject of a preliminary investigation by the Office of the
Ombudsman.
Gutierrez’s office had
subpoenaed Baja twice, on April 30, 2008 and June 6, 2008. But he
did not file counter-affidavits.
The charges that were filed by
Jacob are violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and
Corrupt Practices Act, Republic Act 9184 or the Government
Procurement Act, Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and
Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and Reform Act
and Article 220 (on technical malversation) of the Revised Penal
Code.
The complaint said the repair of
the official residence in New York was done without the benefit of
public bidding, and therefore a clear violation of the procurement
law.
It added that Baja also violated
Republic Act 3019 and Republic Act 6713 “when he acquired material
interest in the payment for the repair conducted by Amazing
Construction Corp.”
The former ambassador, the
complaint said, committed technical malversation when he failed to
report and remit to the Department of Foreign Affairs the proceeds
of the insurance claims filed by the Philippine Mission and caused
the deposit of the entire proceeds in a separate account and later
withdrew the entire amount. It added that the deposit and subsequent
withdrawal of the proceeds were not in accordance with the standard
practice implemented by the mission.
Jacob said Baja’s acts have
caused “undue injury to the government, through gross negligence
and evident bad faith when he reimbursed certain expenses without
the proper documentation and for hiring and paying the salaries of
one Josue Sanchez.” He added that “by all the accounts of the
employees in the Philippine Mission, [Sanchez] was hardly seen at
[Baja’s] official residence, where he [Sanchez] was supposed to be
a utility man.”
Jacob attached to his complaint
supporting documents, such as the Foreign-Affairs department’s
Fact-Finding Team Report, Sworn Statements, Commission on Audit Team
Report, and other related papers.
With the alleged violations, he
urged the Ombudsman to file the necessary criminal charges against
Baja before the proper courts and to impose administrative sanctions
on the former envoy.
On June 24, Baja was charged for
alleged trafficking, forced labor, peonage and racketeering before
the courtroom of Judge Victor Marrero of the New York Southern
District Court along with his wife Norma Castro Baja, his daughter
Maria Elizabeth Baja Facundo and the Baja-owned Labaire
International Travel Inc.
The case was filed by the Bajas’
former servant Marichu Suarez Baoanan, who claimed she was
mistreated by the former ambassador’s family. The Bajas said they
did nothing wrong.
Baja headed the Philippine
Mission in the United Nations from 2003 to 2007 until he was
succeeded by retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.
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