MANILA, Philippines — Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz asked the Office of the Ombudsman Monday to suspend preventively a member of the board and 13 other officers of the state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for their alleged role in granting “behest loans” to Delta Ventures Resources, Inc. (DVRI) in 2009.

Cadiz said the immediate preventive suspension of the 14 DBP officials is aimed at safeguarding the authenticity of the documents pertaining to the loans and “to prevent them from using their positions to influence potential witnesses.”

Sought to be placed under preventive suspension were Franklin M. Velarde, DBP director; Edgardo F. Garcia, senior executive vice president and chief operating officer; Armando O. Samia, senior executive vice president and head of the marketing sector; Benedicto Ernesto R. Bitonio, executive vice president and head of the finance sector; Jesus S. Guevara II, executive vice president and head of the branch banking sector; Benilda A. Tejada, executive vice president and chief legal counsel; Cresenciano R. Bundoc, senior vice president and the branch banking sector marketing head; Josephine E. Jaurigue, vice president and head of the credit review and policy supervision department; Ma. Teresita S. Tolentino, vice president and head of regional marketing center-Metro Manila; Arturo C. Baliton, manager of the branch banking sector; Marissa S. Cayetano, manager of the RMC Western Luzon; Rodolfo C. Cerezo, assistant manager of RMC Metro Manila; Warren P. De Guzman, assistant manager of RMC Metro Manila; and Nelson P. Macatlang, chief accounts management specialists of RMC Western Luzon.

They have also been charged administratively for serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service in relation to the provisions of the General Banking Act and the rules and regulations of both the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the DBP.

The preventive suspension was pleaded in connection with the criminal and administrative charges filed last month against the several former and incumbent DBP officials in connection with the P660 million loans granted “in just one day.”

The complaint for graft and violations of the banking laws against former Trade Minister Roberto V. Ongpin and several former and incumbent DBP officials and two other private individuals were filed by incumbent DBP board chairman Jose A. Nuñez and president and vice chairman Francisco F. Del Rosario Jr.

The Office of the Ombudsman had earlier found “enough basis” to proceed with the preliminary investigation of the criminal charges filed against Ongpin, former members of the DBP board and several bank officials for their role in the grant of the loans to Ongpin’s DVRI.

In an eight-page order, Director Nellie P. Boguen Golez directed Ongpin and the former and incumbent DBP officials led by former president Reynaldo G. David, former chair of the DBP board Patricia A. Sto. Tomas, and senior executive vice president and chief operating officer Edgardo F. Garcia to file their counter-affidavit in 10 days.

Earlier ordered to file their counter-affidavits in the criminal case were private individuals Josephine A. Manalo and Ma. Lourdes A. Torres; former DBP directors Ramon R. Durano IV, Alexander I. Magno, Floro F. Oliveros, Joseph N. Pangilinan, Miguel L. Romero and Renato S. Velasco; DBP director Velarde; senior executive vice president Samia; former senior executive vice presidents Rolando S.C. Geronimo and Perla S. Soleta; executive vice presidents Bitonio Jr., Guevara II and Tejada (also chief legal counsel); senior vice president Bundoc; vice presidents Jaurigue and Tolentino; former assistant vice president Justice Lady L.S. Flores; managers Baliton and Cayetano; assistant managers Cerezo and De Guzman; and chief accounts management specialist Macatlang.

They were charged with violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in relation to the 2000 General Banking Act under Republic Act No. 8791 and the rules and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the DBP.
Except for Ongpin, Manalo and Torres, all the respondents in the criminal case were ordered to file their counter-affidavits in the administrative case.