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BusinessWorld | Gina Lopez faces 3rd graft complaint

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By Raynan F. JavilReporterGina Lopez faces 3rd graft complaintPosted on March 17, 2017ENVIRONMENT Secretary Ma. Regina Paz “Gina” L. Lopez now has a third graft complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, alleging she influenced the Energy department to approve the renewable energy service contract (RESC) of a private firm. In her complaint, Vienna P. Tañada, business development officer of EcoGlobal, Inc., accused Ms. Lopez of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act after Ms. Lopez allegedly sought to influence the Department of Energy to award the contract to EcoGlobal.According to the complaint, EcoGlobal had a pending RESC application for its 30-megawatt solar farm project in Zamboanga.Ms. Tañada’s complaint showed a screenshot conversation on a WhatsApp Message Thread, which quoted Ms. Lopez as saying that she talked to DoE Directo Mario C. Marasigan III “to take care” of the application.Also included in the complaint is Philippe Albert Guy Henry, former Eco Global CEO, who “guaranteed to take full responsibility for all...airfare, hotel accommodations, insurance coverage, and travel allowances for (Ms. Lopez and her party in) the entire duration of their business trip in France.”“I was instructed by Mr. Henry to assist Sec. Lopez and her party in their application for Schengen visas and for the booking of their flights and hotel accommodations. While this is beyond the scope of my duties as an Ecoglobal employee, I accepted the assignment since part of the trip would involve renewable energy projects that may be undertaken by Ecoglobal,” the complaint read.The complaint also estimated the entire trip of Ms. Lopez and her five-man party at 38,380 euros or P2 million.“It is of no doubt that the trip was given to Ms. Lopez as a favor for helping Ecoglobal obtain the approval of the RESC application,” Ms. Tañada’s complaint read.In a text message to reporters, Ms. Lopez, who’s currently out of the country, said the Paris trip “was a work trip [and] it was not at all a perk thing.”“It’s really sad how the other camp is trying to do ANYTHING, clutch at anything to put me down... even a trip for our country,” she said.“Very sad... ask them, stop it. Climb a mountain and go meditate,” Ms. Lopez added.Ms. Lopez, who was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments, had been earlier charged with graft in connection with her alleged inaction over the faulty air monitoring system at her department. The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines had also filed a breach of ethical conduct complaint against her.

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