Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Vice Chairman and General Manager Rosario Uriarte confirmed on Thursday that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved the conversion of P150 million into an intelligence fund five months before the 2010 elections.
During the continuation of the Senate blue ribbon inquiry into the PCSO fund scam on Thursday, Uriarte admitted former President Arroyo has actually approved a total of P195 additional intelligence fund from 2008 to 2010.
“Yes your honor,” Uriarte said when asked by Senator Franklin Drilon to confirm the signatures of former President as well as the Malacañang bar codes as shown on the five memoranda that gave the go signal for the release of the funds to Uriarte.
Uriarte told the panel that she was even present when former President Arroyo personally signed four of the six memoranda even as she claimed that she was close with the former leader since early 80s.
Uriarte said the intelligence funds have been used for the conduct of surveillance, discreet investigations, purchase of information and other related activities in connection with the PCSO’s experimental test run for the Small Town Lottery (STL) project.
When asked by Senator Panfilo Lacson who was the PCSO intelligence project officer, Uriarte said she handled the project to the surprise of the members of the Senate panel investigating the PSCO fund scam.
“This is not right way to handle an intelligence project,” Lacson, a former military colonel and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, said.
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