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OUR recent column about the legal maze that is
Philcomsat (once the leading satellite communications entity in the
Philippines) in which we had former Philcomsat Holdings Corp.
chairman but now its vice president Enrique Locsin explaining some
of the issues raised against him in the media has resulted is us
receiving an email from Locsin in which “for the sake of the
truth,” as he puts it, gives his side on some other recent issues
that have been circulated.
Again, insisting that the issues
in which his name has been implicated are “completely
fabricated,” Locsin points to a “grand conspiracy” on the part
of some parties to take control of Philcomsat by foul means or fair.
As we pointed out in our previous
column, Philcomsat is caught up in a long drawn legal tussle with
two sets of boards, each with their own allegedly legitimate claims
to be the ascendant party, and with dominant personalities and
influential backers on both sides.
The problems began soon after the
fall of the Marcos regime the when the Presidential Commission on
Good Government sequestered a sizeable block of shares in PHS on the
basis that they were from the proceeds of ill-gotten wealth.
The Sandiganbayan subsequently
ruled that 35 percent of the sequestered stake belonged to the state
and the balance 5 percent to Potenciano Ilusorio who happened to be
one of the shareholders from whom the stock had been originally
sequestered.
As we previously pointed out,
with some of the other shareholders still contesting the rights to
their shares, PHC (where Locsin is one of the government appointees)
has been mired in a prolonged legal battle for over a decade.
Says Locsin: “I am accused of
having received P60, 000 as representation expenses for PCGG
commissioners—with a letter from PHC Office Manager Johnny K. Tan
to PHC director/vice president Philip Brodett supposedly confirming
the transaction being circulated as if it is some sort of smoking
gun.
“But the truth is PHS has in
its possession a letter from Tan in which he denies having ever
written that letter. And besides that letter which attempts to frame
me is not even signed by Tan.
“Also the story that a check
for P1 million allegedly made out to the PCGG was facilitated by me
with my initials appearing on the check stub is another frame up. In
fact if you look closely at that supposed document you can clearly
see that my initials were inserted to implicate me. And while the
writing in the original is in a medium ball pen the insertion is in
a fine pen which is pretty amateurish try, to say the least. So
it’s really incredible how these allegations keep coming up.”
“But as I have said before, if
anyone makes false accusations against me then I will definitely go
to the courts and fight them in order to clear my name.”
Locsin also points out that,
contrary to what is being said in some quarters, he has had no
meetings with PCCG Chairman Camilio Sabio regarding his status at
Philcomsat.
He explains: “Nothing has
changed because everything is in the hands of the courts, and it is
in that legal venue that the issues will be resolved once and for
all. And I will, of course, accept any decision that the court
makes.”
bizzfizz_98@yahoo.com
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