An arrest warrant was sought for Winston Garcia, former Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) president, and 10 other GSIS officials facing graft charges over the award of the electronic membership card system he approved in 2004.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor asked the Sandiganbayan to issue the warrants and deny the respondents’ motions for a reinvestigation by the Ombudsman.
Sought for comment yesterday, Garcia’s lawyer Star Elamparo questioned the OSP’s request to the Sandiganbayan.
He said the OSP is required to comment on the pending motion for preliminary determination of probable cause, not ask for arrest warrants.
“Let us wait for the Sandiganbayan to resolve first our motion before the OSP makes such a request,” Elamparo said.
In 2004, the GSIS entered into a contract with the Union Bank of the Philippines as the depository bank for the eCard system to be used for loan and benefit transactions of GSIS members.
The Ombudsman said GSIS executives violated Sec. 3 of R.A. No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when it awarded the project to the private bank “without complying with the requirements/procedures” provided by law.
Elamparo, however, said the GSIS’ procurement of the eCard project is aboveboard and that the project is an out-of-the-box bureaucratic tool benefiting millions of state workers and pensioners.
The lawyer said they oppose the OSP request “on the ground that there is already a pending motion for determination of probable cause for the issuance of the warrant of which the OSP is required to comment and not file a motion.”
They were given another 15 days to file a reply to the OSP’s comment, Elamparo added.
Garcia, who’s challenging Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III’s reelection bid next year, earlier said he was confident they will be vindicated by the Sandiganbayan.
He said the case has been with the Ombudsman for more than 10 years and was only decided on less than a year before the elections next year.
Garcia, a lawyer, said the e-project is the same one presently used by GSIS despite their efforts to look for better terms with other banks.