[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Ombudsman axes 19 gov’t execs in pork barrel scam ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO and PRINCE GOLEZ
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Thursday, June 29, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – A number of government executives were ordered dismissed from the service for their allegedhand in the anomalous use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), or pork barrel.
The Office of the Ombudsman found them liable for various administrative offenses, such as grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Among those ordered dismissed were from the National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC), Technology Resource Center (TRC), and the now defunct National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor).
“They are perpetually disqualified from holding any public office,” Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said on Wednesday.
They are former congressman Prospero Nograles’ Chief of Staff Jennifer Karen Lagbas and Chief Public Affairs Officer Danilo Jamito; Nabcor representatives Alan Javellana, Encarnita Cristina Munsod, Romulo Relevo, and Rhodora Mendoza; NLDC representatives Gondelina Amata, Emmanuel Alexis Sevidal, Ofelia Ordoñez, and Sofia Cruz; TRC representatives Marivic Jover, Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover, Belina Concepcion, and Maurine Dimaranan; and Filipina Rodriguez, Chita Jalandoni, Gregoria Buenaventura, and Elsie Walican.
“The respondents will also be facing trial before the Sandiganbayan for multiple counts
of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 9184) and malversation,” Morales said.
In case the dismissal may no longer be imposed due to the respondent’s separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to their one-year salary, said the Ombudsman.
Investigators found that the respondents conspired with lawmakers in “ghost projects” using the PDAF of former representatives Nograles,Salacnib Baterina, Marc Douglas Cagas IV, and Thomas Dumpit Jr., Morales said.
Many of the supposed livelihood project beneficiaries denied receipt of livelihood technology kits/materials, grafted seedlings, hand tractors, and water pumps, the Ombudsmanfield investigation showed.
“The reported projects implemented through the NGOs (nongovernment organizations) were supported by questionable and spurious documents,” said Morales. “Suppliers also denied providing farm implements or issuing any invoices and receipts.”
THOROUGH PROBE
The Department of Justice’s reinvestigation into the PDAF scam is expected to be “thorough,” “objective” and “fearless.”
On Tuesday the Justice department said they have started the new probe into the PDAF and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
“After all these years, the terms PDAF and DAP are still synonymous with corruption and abuse of power,” Sen. SherwinGatchaliansaid on Wednesday.
Gatchalian expects “plunderers,” whatever their political affiliation, to be held accountable.
It is also a “perfect opportunity” for Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II “to prove his critics wrong and deliver justice the people continue to clamor for,” the senator said.
In 2014 the PDAF investigation conducted by then Justice secretary Leila de Lima (now senator) led to the indictment of former senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
