The Philippine SuperLiga has filed a case against former president Tats Suzara and former director of Finance Donaldo Caringal, citing irregular and unauthorized disbursement of company funds.
PSL vice president and commissioner Dr. Ian Laurel revealed this on Thursday during a press conference at the Pearl Manila Hotel.
On the same day, Laurel, accompanied by PSL director for legal Atty. Melinda Diaz-Salcedo, and counsel Atty. Miguelito Llantino, submitted the complaint for qualified theft on Thursday to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
An independent firm hired by the PSL found the irregularities in financial transactions after a comprehensive audit.
"Based on the result of the audit, Messrs. Ramon Suzara and Donaldo Caringal, being both signatories of PSL bank accounts, allowed the release and use of the company funds for unauthorized purposes," the PSL said in a statement.
When pressed to elaborate, Laurel refused to divulge more details about the complaint. But he said it involved "personal travels, discretionary fund, cash advances, travel allowance" amounting to millions.
"We cannot give the details yet but there are more," said Laurel.
The PSL tried to resolve the issue internally but Laurel said Suzara and Caringal did not cooperate, prompting the board to take legal actions.
The last time they attended a board meeting was January 17, according to the league official. Caringal resigned from his post in the same month, while Suzara followed suit four months later.
"They have now the proper forum to answer these allegations," said Diaz-Salcedo.
Through Atty. Alan Macasaet, Suzara said in a text message he "will answer the complaint in the proper forum." But he said in the same message his transactions were done with "full knowledge of the Board."
"I welcome any investigation or inquiry regarding the malicious accusations thrown against me," he said.
"Everything I did as President of PSL was above board, transparent, properly recorded and with full knowledge of the Board."
He closed his statement by clarifying his reason for resigning.
"To correct any misconception, I resigned as President of PSL because the ideals which we all fought for has been replaced by self-serving interest of certain personalities," he said.