Graft case filed vs former irrigation chief, 2 others over CamSur dam

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft charges against former National Irrigation Administration (NIA) chief Carlos Salazar and two others over the allegedly anomalous P98.5-million payment for the construction of a dam in Camarines Sur province in 2009.

In its criminal information dated June 18, the Ombudsman lodged charges against Salazar and two officials of a private company for allegedly conspiring to pay for the Libmanan-Cabusao diversion dam project.

Salazar was found to have given A.M. Oreta and Company, Inc., a private contractor, undue advantage when the contract for the project was given the green light without prior approval from the National Economic Development Authority (Neda).

Lawyer Ma. Lucidia Kristine Flores, Ombudsman graft investigator, also implicated Ricardo Khan, A.M. Oreta vice president for engineering, and Greg Tupaz Jr., the company representative.

Completed in 2016

“That sometime between April 17 to May 2009 … (Salazar) committing the offense in relation to his office and taking advantage thereof … conspiring and confederating with (Khan and Tupaz), gave unwarranted benefits to A.M. Oreta by issuing a notice of award … despite the absence of the prior approval to implement the project from the (Neda) investment coordination committee,” accoring to the information.

A bail bond of P30,000 was recommended for each of the three respondents.

The Libmanan-Cabusao dam project includes the construction of a 10.28-kilometer diversion canal and support structures. According to the NIA website, the P700-million Libmanan-Cabusao dam project was completed in 2016.

In 2014, the Ombudsman dismissed the charges filed against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her son, former Camarines Rep. Diosdado Ignacio “Dato ”Arroyo, also in connection with the project.