By Gina Tabonares
Variety News Staff

THE trial setting on the corruption case against Charles Pangelinan, the son of Guam International Airport Authority deputy manager Edith Pangelinan, has been moved to April.
Superior Court Judge Steven Unpingco decided to move the proceeding to give way to the March 28 hearing on the motion to withdraw counsel.
The trial setting will be continued on April 9 at 10 a.m.
Pangelinan was indicted in August last year with his former co-worker at the port for embezzling the workers’ fund of the Port Authority of Guam.
Through a trial court grand jury, Pangelinan and Susuico were charged with conspiracy to commit theft as a third-degree felony and theft as a third-degree felony.
Pangelinan and Susuico were both officers of the Port Authority of Guam Goodwill and Morale Association, or PAGGMA, when they allegedly conspired to commit the theft.
The questionable disbursement of some $33,750 in PAGGMA fund was discovered in August 2003 when officers of the workers association began planning for the approaching Port Week celebration.
Pangelinan, who was the treasurer of PAGGMA from 2001 to 2003, together with Susuico, who was then the association president, failed to provide financial information on the alleged misuse of the workers’ funds.
Former Port Authority of Guam general manager Joseph Mesa initiated a review in November 2003 and found nine questionable costs totaling $18,249.
In the later part of November 2003, Mesa appointed an ad-hoc committee to conduct a more extensive review of PAGGMA. The committee found that only the president and Pangelinan approved disbursements made by the officers, and checks amounting to $12,080 were issued to him and endorsed by the president without supporting documentation.
The third review conducted on Dec. 4, 2003 showed that VIP rewards slips were provided as proof of expenditures instead of actual invoices, two receipts indicated merchandise was purchased with food stamps, and there were only two cash deposits made to the PAGGMA account in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 despite numerous fundraisers.
After the three separate inquiries on PAGGMA’s financial activities, the PAG general manager referred the matter to the Office of the Public Auditor for an in-depth review and disposition.
Results of the OPA investigative audit showed that Pangelinan endorsed and cashed 23 checks totaling $11,080 without supporting documentation while the other payments endorsed by the former officers of PAGGMA totaled $22,670.
OPA reported that the former PAGGMA officers did not maintain adequate documentation to warrant the disbursement of the workers’ group fund, did not disburse the funds in accordance with the organization’s objectives nor maintain sufficient records and documentation.
Pangelinan, who was also a suspect in the missing $4,000 from Allegro Café at the airport, prompted his mother to voluntarily take an administrative leave after an alleged cover up on the theft case was reported.
No criminal case was filed against Pangelinan in connection with the airport theft after his family reached a settlement agreement with the owner of the restaurant.