NO PENALTY OVER 'BLASPHEMOUS' ART EXHIBIT / NOY: CLEAR UP DBP SUICIDE PUZZLE
MANILA, AUGUST 11, 2011 (BULLETIN) By GENALYN D. KABILING — Malacañang is not inclined to dismiss the entire board of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) for approving an allegedly blasphemous art exhibit but expects it to review guidelines to avoid a similar uproar.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda likewise affirmed that the Palace has no plans to penalize the artist behind the artwork that offended the beliefs of the country's Catholic majority since it would be tantamount to censorship.
Lacierda even appealed to the critics of the CCP, especially those resorting to violence, to end their attacks since the art exhibit has already been closed and the board was reminded about their responsibility. He said President Aquino has made his position clear to the CCP board that it should be more sensitive in using taxpayers' money for art exhibits that offend the majority of Filipino Catholics.
"There is no directive from the President to remove the board. I think what the President said was very clear. He is not after censorship but just to remind the board that this is not art for art's sake. We have to remember we are using taxpayers' money for this exhibit," he said in a Palace news conference.
"We expect them to review their policies and avoid a similar situation what we've seen," he said.
President Aquino had earlier chastised the CCP board for allowing the art exhibit that insulted Catholic beliefs. Aquino admitted that he was insulted by the artwork that desecrated Jesus Christ and other Catholic symbols.
Several groups have demanded the resignation of the CCP board over the blasphemous art exhibit while others plan to file cases against the artist.
Prior to meeting with some CCP board members last Monday, the President received text messages about the supposed blasphemous art exhibit at the CCP, Lacierda said.
The President's staff went to the exhibit to get information and reported back to him. Upon seeing the artwork, Lacierda said the President was offended by the depiction of Jesus Christ in the exhibit. Lacierda called on people threatening the CCP board to stop their personal attacks and instead join sober debates about freedom of expression.
"These are constitutional issues that can be discussed at a higher level rather than getting personal at recoverythe members of the board," he said.
He added that the government is ready to provide additional security for the CCP board and the Center following reports of threats.
Meanwhile, the Cultural Center of the Philippines' (CCP) Public Relations and Linkages Division as well as the Office of Visual Arts confirmed the resignation of CCP Visual Arts Director Karen Flores.
"We are not privy to the reason she resigned, but we are aware that she already filed her resignation Tuesday night," Raul Asis of the Public Relations Division told Manila Bulletin.
However, Vergie Ramoso, Culture and Arts officer in the Visual Arts Division, said Flores' resignation has yet to be approved by CCP President Raul Sunico.
"She came to our office this morning but she didn't mention anything about her resignation," Ramoso said.
Flores' resignation came a day after the closure of the controversial 'Kulo' exhibit that offended Catholic beliefs and prompted a reprimand from President Aquino.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile had also ordered an investigation into the management of the CCP. Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada called for the resignation of the CCP board members who were responsible for the exhibit.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III threatened to starve CCP of budget because the CCP is supported by public money, thus part of the General Appropriations Act (GAA). (With a report from Jacky Lynne A. Oiga) More News Report from PHILSTAR: CCP MUSEUM HEAD RESIGNS AMID EXHIBIT FUROR at Travel & Leisure section PHNO]
FROM MANILA STANDARD
Aquino wants Purisima to clear up DBP puzzle by Joyce Pangco Pañares
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday said he wanted Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima to clear up some "inconsistencies" in the suicide of Development Bank of the Philippines lawyer Benjamin Pinpin.
"The lawyer who unfortunately committed suicide was one of the initial witnesses, if not the prime witness, to what actually transpired," Mr. Aquino said.
"So I would wonder, if you are guilty and you revealed what you knew, you should feel relief. But that is not what happened, so there is an inconsistency and I would like to find out why there is an inconsistency."
Pinpin was among 20 bank employees who received show-cause letters from the new DBP board in relation to an investigation of a loan to a company owned by former Trade Minister Roberto Ongpin. The board, appointed by President Aquino, is accusing the bank's former officials of granting Ongpin a behest loan.
Pinpin, 43, was found dead in a Las Piñas hotel on Aug. 2 hanging by a nylon cord in the bathroom.
The letters he left his wife, mother and son said he regretted having taken part in the investigation and executing an affidavit, apparently against his will.
His colleagues said he had been pressured into signing a sworn statement against the bank's previous officials.
The bank's chief legal counsel, Benilda Tejada, said the new board had a "bias" right from the start, and had merely been looking for someone to pressure to firm up its agenda.
"There was a single-minded purpose against Ongpin," she said.
"If you look at the proceedings, the board [had] planned this since Day One. No amount of explanations will suffice. There is a foregone conclusion in all of this."
Earlier this week, Ongpin accused the DBP board of driving Pinpin to suicide. He said his P600-million loan was fully paid and highly profitable for the state-owned bank. The loan was fully covered by collateral and the bank was never at risk, he said.
FROM THE DAILY INQUIRER
DBP: 'Behest loan,' hindi suicide, ang issue
Ayaw ilihis ng DBP ang isyu. Bagama't nakikiramay sila sa nagpatiwakal na si Atty. Benjamin Pinpin, ibang usapin umano ito.
Ang isyu, ayon sa legal counsel ng DBP: nilabag ng isang negosyanteng malapit kay dating First Gentleman Mike Arroyo at dating mga opisyal ng DBP ang batas sa pagbabangko. Ito'y matapos pautangin ng DBP ang negosyanteng si Roberto Ongpin ng P660 milyon kahit palugi na ang kanyang kumpanya at wala itong sapat na kapital.
Ito naman ang pinambili ng shares ng DBP sa Philex Mining, at dahil dito, kumita umano si Ongpin ng may P400 milyon sa loob ng isang buwan.
"He actually admitted that he, Mr. Mike Arroyo, is an old friend. And this deal was made during the term of the Arroyo administration," pahayag ni Atty. Zenaida Ongkiko Acorda, DBP legal counsel patungkol kay Ongpin.
Nauna nang pinasinungalingan ni Ongpin ang mga paratang ng DBP. Sinisi pa ni Ongpin ang kasalukuyang board ng DBP sa panggigipit umano kay Pinpin kaya ito nagpakamatay.
Nagtataka si Ongpin kung bakit inakusahan siya ng DBP na walang sapat na kolateral at kapital gayong wala raw siyang naging problema sa anim pang bangko na nagpautang sa kanya ng mas malaking halaga.
Ayon sa DBP, maging ang COA ay kinukwestyon na rin ang transaksyon.
"Apparently, the BSP got hold also of the internal audit findings," ani ni Atty. Acorda. Pero hindi lamang ang DBP ang binanatan ni Ongpin, kundi maging ang mamamahayag na si Lala Rimando, dating business editor ng abs-cbnNEWS.com, na naunang sumulat tungkol sa isyu noong Mayo.
Paliwanag naman ni Rimando, "Lahat ng mga isinulat ko doon independently verified sa mga publicly available documents sa SEC, sa PSE, sa COA."
Gustong pa-imbestigahan ng minorya sa kamara kung ginipit nga ng kasalukuyang board si Pinpin na dahilan ng pagpapakamatay nito. Henry Omaga-Diaz, Patrol ng Pilipino. 08/10/2011 10:52 PM
Lawyer in DBP loan mess laid to rest abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 08/06/2011 4:56 PM | Updated as of 08/09/2011 11:45 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) lawyer, who committed suicide after being caught up in an investigation into alleged anomalous transactions of the bank, was laid to rest on Saturday.
Benjamin Pinpin was buried at Loyola Memorial Park in Parañaque City past 4 p.m. following a requiem mass at the Holy Trinity Memorial Chapel around 12 noon.
Pinpin's funeral service was attended by his family, friends and co-workers, who wore black clothes to mourn his death.
Pinpin was found dead in a bathroom of a hotel room in Las Piñas City last Tuesday with a nylon cord around his neck.
His wife, Amy, said he was under a lot of pressure from an investigation into alleged highly irregular loans granted by the DBP management during former President Gloria Arroyo's term.
The said loans, amounting to P150 million and P510 million, were extended to a company led by former Trade Minister Roberto Ongpin, a friend of former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arrroyo.
DBP chief legal counsel Benilda Tejada said Pinpin was forced to sign an affidavit implicating his superiors.
"Kasi naguguluhan na sya na, hindi pala tama ang ginawa nya, mali pala kasi he only aggravated things," Tejada said.
Pinpin's wife said her husband told her he might land in jail, but did not elaborate.
"He was talking about jail, baka daw makulong. Sabi nya masyadong magulo na yung dinadaanan niya. Sabi ko 'anong sabi ng mga boss mo?' Wala daw. Pero sabi niya, natatakot ako."
Graft charges
On Friday, DBP charged Ongpin and 25 past and current bank officials, including its former president Reynaldo David, for graft and violation of banking laws in connection to the loans.
DBP lawyer Zenaida Ongkiko-Acorda said previous bank management skirted central bank regulations to grant the loans, one of which was approved in just a day.
The loans were given to Ongpin-led firm Delta Ventures Resources Inc. (DVRI), which was "undercapitalized."
Ongpin used the DBP loan proceeds to purchase Philex Mining Co. shares owned by DBP itself.
Acorda said: "The (P510-million) loan was extended to a crony. The borrower is undercapitalized, the loan was undercollateralized, and the loan was given out with extraordinary speed."
In its complaint, DBP said DVRI had a paid-up capital of only P625,000 when it applied for the P510-million loan, which was 816 times more than the paid-up capital. It also said that DVRI had a net loss of over P98 million.
DBP said the sale of its Philex shares to DVRI deprived the bank of an "opportunity" trading gain of over P400 million. DVRI bought Philex shares from DBP at P12.75 per share and sold these a month later at P21.
'Mere tactics'
Ongpin could not be reached for comment on the charges against him.
Former DBP president David said the allegations were mere tactics to cover up for pressuring Pinpin and driving him to take his own life.
He said he will answer the allegations at the proper forum.
"I was just surprised it comes at this point when the suicide of Atty. Pinpin has happened. They (present board) have taken this tact as a squid tactic to mask the real cause of the suicide which seems to be a result of their harassment of Pinpin," he said.
Earlier, President Aquino said he directed Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima to find out whether the new DBP board had become "overzealous" in its investigation.
"If they have been overzealous, we will rein them in. But if they are performing something that is necessary... 'Yung zealousness of the board also is to get a handle as soon as possible on what has transpired," Aquino said. - With a report from Robert Mano, dzMM
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