NCMF execs plead guilty to lesser offense

MANILA, Philippines — Three officials of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) have entered into a plea bargain with the Office of the Ombudsman, and were slapped with P10,000 in fines.

The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division found NCMF Commissioner Mehol Kiram Sadain, acting chief Aurora Ocular Aragon-Mabang, Director III Galay Makalinggan, and Maharlikang Lipi Foundation Inc. general manager Queenie Rodriguez guilty of the lesser offense of violating Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, instead of graft.

Sadain, Mabang, Makalinggan and Rodriguez were earlier slapped with graft charges for the alleged anomalous use of the priority development assistance fund of former Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Ampatuan Datumanong, who has since passed away.

But instead of proceeding with the graft trial, the accused made an offer for plea bargain in May 2018.