MANILA, Philippines — Pinatawan ng Office of the Ombudsman ng anim na buwang preventive suspension si Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso kasama ang anim pang executives ng ahensiya kaugnay ng umano’y kontrobersyal na pagbili ng P1.45 bilyon “preferred shares” mula sa Alternergy Holdings Corp. (AHC) noong Nobyembre 2023.
Sa 7-pahinang kautusan ng Ombudsman noong Hulyo 11 na ipinalabas lamang sa media nitong Hulyo 22, ipinag-utos ng anti-graft ang pagsuspinde kay Veloso at anim na iba pa kabilang sina GSIS Executive Vice President Michael Praxedes; Executive Vice President Jason Teng; Vice President Aaron Samuel Chan; Vice President Abigail Cruz-Francisco; Officer II Jaime Leon Warren ar Acting Office IV Alfredo Pablo.
Isinaad sa kautusan ng Ombudsman na nakakita ng sapat na grounds para patawan ng preventive suspension si Veloso at anim pa sa kasong grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, at paglabag sa office rules and regulations.
Ang kautusan ay “immediately executory” sa ilalim ng Section 27 (1) ng Republic Act 6770, o Ombudsman Act of 1989.
Nabatid na Nobyembre 7, 2023 nang mag-subscribe ang GSIS ng P100 milyon para sa “preferred shares” ng Alternergy at P14.50 kada share sa ilalim ng private placement.
“The perpetual preferred shares purchased by the government agency were acquired without the approval of the GSIS board of trustees. Investigators also found that the seven officials violated provisions of the 2022 GSIS Investment Policy Guidelines”, anang Ombudsman.