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Corruption in Clark Philippines suspected as CDC President tries to defend himself against allegations of receiving exorbitant payments

CDC President and CEO Benigno “Benny” Ricafort said the P26.865 million in salary, allowances and “extraordinary and miscellaneous fees” attributed to him by the COA in 2009 was misleading because it did not give a true picture of his “total real compensation.”

At the Clark Freeport in Pampanga, CDC president and chief executive officer Benny Ricafort bristled at Saturday’s Inquirer report on the issue, saying it was “most unfair” and “not accurate.”

In a text message he sent at 8:47 a.m. Saturday, Benigno Ricafort bewailed “the unfair focus on SBMA and CDC.”

“Bad news is good news for PDI. Sana (I wish) you focus on the contributions/results of efforts to contribute results,” he said.

Ricafort said he would issue an official statement Saturday afternoon, after concluding an executive checkup at a hospital. He had yet to do so as of 5 p.m.

The COA had said Ricafort received P14.506 million in 2009, making him No. 2 in the list of highest paid GOCC executives.

On the phone with the Inquirer, Gonzales said the fat paychecks and allowances had no place in a country with rising hunger and poverty levels and a crippling budget deficit left by the previous administration.

“It is ridiculous, in the light of the budgetary deficit and economic crisis, for GOCC officials to get that kind of money. It’s very inconsistent with the economic situation that we are in right now,” he said.

Gonzales said Arreza and the other listed top officers and board members of GOCCs, as well as secretaries, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries of national government agencies, did not have to wait for the planned House inquiry.

He said they should follow President Aquino’s lead and voluntarily slash their earnings.

“The President has been leading by example. He likes to be an austere President. All the officers of the government and GOCCs should follow suit,” Gonzales said.

He surmised that the amounts listed by the COA could even be higher if the officials’ actual travel allowances were included.

Gonzales said that apart from the budget hearings to commence next month, he would ask the plenary to authorize the House committees on good government and on government enterprises to look into the matter.

“There should be a separate investigation immediately, independent of the budget hearings,” he said.

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