The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters yesterday denied the allegations of its former employee, Anthony Reginald Bitanga, implicating NFSP president Enrique Rojas in the unauthorized withdrawals of the sugar planters' group's funds deposited with the Philippine National Bank in Bacolod City.

In a press statement, the NFSP said it has asked the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a more thorough investigation due to the enormity of the unauthorized withdrawals which had been going on since year 2000.

“The NBI is still investigating the case in preparation for the filing of the necessary legal actions to protect the interests of the (NFSP),” it said.

NFSP said that “(a)n audit was conducted and it was found out that the unauthorized withdrawals were done by Anthony Bitanga even way back in year 2000.”

In his affidavit furnished to the media, Bitanga, who was terminated in Nov. 19, 2007, claimed he was forced by Rojas to admit such a fraudulent act.

Bitanga said that as employee of NFSP, he was assigned at the PNB Bacolod main branch in Lacson Street “merely to monitor, keep track and render reports to our NFSP accountant on the periodic deposits being made by sugar traders as payment for NFSP's share from the Sugar Market Development Fund.”

He said that in the later part of year 2000, he started to withdraw from the NFSP savings deposit using the withdrawal slips personally handed to him by Rojas, but the signatures which appeared on them were not of the signatories like NFSP directors Jose Mari Miranda, Antonio de Leon and Angel Severino Jr. and later, Jaime Golez and Augusto Araneta Jr.

Bitanga also said in his affidavit that Rojas coerced him to admit that he was the sole perpetrator as he (Rojas) promised to take care of him and that no charges would be filed against him.

He said the said anomalies were exposed by NFSP's new accountant, Penuel T. Tanio, only this October 2007.

NFSP, for its part, said: “To set the record straight, the NFSP accountant discovered sometime in October 2007 the unauthorized withdrawals from NFSP's bank account with the (PNB).”

It also said in the statement that “(a)fter discovery of such unauthorized withdrawals, Rojas initiated a formal administrative investigation, wherein Bitanga was administratively charged with the unauthorized withdrawals. And, in his hand-written response to such administrative charge, he admitted his offense.”

NFSP said that in his letter-response, Bitanga admitted having committed the illegal withdrawals and he even asked for forgiveness and he was dismissed from employment.*NLG

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