ERC welcomes NBI probe on exec’s suicide notes

By Ghio Ong (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 9, 2016 - 12:00am
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/12/09/1651781/erc-welcomes-nbi-probe-execs-suicide-notes

MANILA, Philippines - The Energy Regulatory Commission welcomed yesterday a probe by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the suicide notes left by the late ERC director Francisco Jose Villa Jr.

ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar, who went on leave since Monday, said, “I am happy that we were given a chance to answer all questions pertaining to this particular incident.”

“We leave it to the NBI and other investigating bodies to pursue this investigation, and hopefully, this will be finished soon,” Salazar, who went to the NBI yesterday afternoon, said.

Four ERC commissioners, headed by officer-in-charge Commissioner Geronimo Sta. Ana, went to the NBI earlier as part of the upcoming investigation on Villa’s statements.

They all said they did not have any idea about Villa’s revelations, since they have no knowledge about the activities in the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), which Villa once headed.

The five ERC executives also refused to comment on President Duterte’s advice for them to resign.

NBI officials, meanwhile, said the five ERC officials are expected to submit their affidavits next week.

They added the agency would also wait for documents, particularly from the BAC and reports from the Commission on Audit.

Earlier, reports had it that Villa’s handwritten suicide notes in late August revealed his fear of going back to work at the ERC, especially as chief of the Bids and Awards Committee. He said his attention was called by the Commission on Audit when it reviewed the contents of an audio-visual presentation “by Luis Morelos, which the chairman and CEO Jose Vicente Salazar chose through a rigged selection process.”

The late official also related how he kept on avoiding “ITD’s Noelle Protasio” and filing sick leave to avoid an “Aug. 26 planning session” with Salazar; and that he was “set up for failure” in implementing a project.

A source said Salazar admitted to inviting Morelos to a bidding of a still undisclosed project. He noted that the bidding failed on Aug. 12, 11 days before Villa wrote his first suicide note naming Morelos and Salazar.

Another source added Salazar considers Morelos a close friend.

Villa shot himself in the head inside his house at Merville Park Subdivision at past 6 p.m. on Nov. 9 using a .45-caliber pistol his father once used.