GMA, 9 others charged with plunder

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo faces a P366-million plunder suit in connection with the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds under her administration. In 2011, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probed allegations that Malacañang diverted PCSO funds for election purposes. In January 2012, it recommended the filing of plunder and technical malversation charges against the former president and former PCSO general manager Rosario Uriarte in connection with the distribution of P325-M in confidential intelligence funds from 2008 until the lead up to the 2010 elections. The Senate committee found that Uriarte was unable to produce receipts and other liquidation documents to justify the use of at least P244-M of funds released to her. The plunder case was filed with the Sandiganbayan after it was approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on Friday, July 13. Besides Arroyo, nine other PCSO and Commission on Audit officials were also charged, including Uriarte; former PCSO chair Sergio Valencia; former PCSO board members Manuel Morato, Jose Taruc V, Raymundo Roquero and Ma Fatima Valdes; and former Commission on Audit (COA) chair Reynaldo Villar and former COA officer Nilda Plaras. This is the first plunder case filed against Arroyo.

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