Maniolas

The National Bureau of Investigation will not reinvestigate the fake Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) case against Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr despite the solon’s plea, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Wednesday.
 

De Lima, in an interview, said she was turning down Haresco’s request, adding that it was no longer the call of the NBI to go over the matter anew. As Justice chief, de Lima has supervision over the NBI, an agency attached to the Department of Justice.

“I dont think we are inclined to do that kase ifa-file na sa proper forum iyan whether sa Department of Justice or the Ombudsman. That is the proper forum,” De Lima said.

De Lima also said she saw no reason for the NBI to re-investigate Haresco because due process has been observed by the investigators and attempted to get the lawmaker’s side of the story early on.

“They have exerted efforts short of issuing subpoena to access him but it was unsuccessful. They wanted to access him but hindi daw sila hinarap at pinagbigyan,” De Lima said.

In its findings, the NBI said Haresco should be charged for falsification of public documents under Article 171 Par. 2 of the Revised Penal Code.

Apart from him, four others were recommended to be charged, namely:

• Emmanuel Raza, congressional staff of Zamboanga City Rep. Lilia Macruhon-Nuño.
• Elvie Rafael, driver of Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos
• Bhernie Beltran from the DBM
• Mary Ann Castillo, consultant in Haresco’s office.

According to the NBI, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala received a letter dated October 21, 2013 from the office of Haresco. Attached to the letter was a particular SARO, which was included in the series of SAROs canceled by the DBM.

“The requirement of gain or benefit was satisfied because Cong. Haresco, Jr. would surely take the credit if the project mentioned in the SARO would be implemented considering that his district was its beneficiary,” said the NBI.

The NBI team also found out that Castillo had endorsed the SARO sent by Haresco to the DBM. When the NBI asked Castillo where she got the SARO, she said it came from a man “she was not familiar with, and the man just left the SARO and never returned.”

Haresco “flabbergasted”
 

Haresco, in response, earlier called on the NBI to re-investigate his alleged involvement in the anomaly, saying his staff does not have the capability to produce a fake SARO.

“I feel flabbergasted. I don’t know why the NBI is singling [me] out for this,” he had said.

Haresco said faking a SARO will not benefit him since the document “does not mean anything to a legislator.”

According to the Department of Budget and Management, a SARO is “a specific authority issued to identified agencies to incur obligations not exceeding a given amount during a specified period for the purpose indicated. It shall cover expenditures the release of which is subject to compliance with specific laws or regulations, or is subject to separate approval or clearance by competent authority.”

The DBM has junked last month the SARO system following reports of scams involving fake SAROs being issued to implementing agencies.  — ELR, GMA News