PAF official refutes witness' account on alleged US visa bribe

From InterAksyon (Jun 9): PAF official refutes witness' account on alleged US visa bribe

A top official of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday denied the accusation by a lone witness that he asked for a US visa for his brother in exchange for the approval of the P1.2-B helicopter procurement project for the AFP Modernization Program.

During the last hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Teofisto Guingona III, Rhodora Alvarez, employee of Revenue District Office No. 33, revealed that top officials of the Department of National Defense (DND) asked for a 12-percent cut "for the boys" commission in connection with the P1.2 billion helicopter program from the supplier, Rice Aircraft Services Inc. (RASI).

Aside from these kickbacks, which she narrated in her 27-page affidavit submitted to Guingona's panel, Alvarez said that PAF Brig. Gen. Conrado Parra Jr., chairman of the DND Technical Working Group (TWG) requested for a US visa to be issued to his brother in exchange for approval of the project.

However, when asked about this matter by Guingona during the hearing, Parra denied Alvarez' accusations, which was also supported by Robert Rice Jr., president of RASI.

Parra countered that his brother, named Glenn, has been in the US for 18 years and is now a permanent resident of the US.

Guingona turned to Rice to confirm the statement made by Parra, and received this response: "Absolutely not true. We are 3,000 miles apart. I never met his brother, never known his brother."

Guingona instructed all the officials involved, including Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, to submit their individual affidavits to confirm, deny or make a statement of the allegations made by Alvarez.

In her affidavit, Alvarez claimed that Rice agreed to give 7% commission to Gazmin and 5% "down the line."

In response, Undersecretary Fernando Manalo, DND Special Bids and Awards Committee Chairman, said he will submit to the committee a "point-by-point" affidavit to dispute the allegations made by Alvarez that they asked Rice for a 12% commission.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/112079/paf-official-refutes-witness-account-on-alleged-us-visa-bribe