Ombudsman asked to tag HDMF execs in Pag-Ibig fund anomaly

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DoJ) passed on to the Office of the Ombudsman the task of identifying officials and employees of the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) or Pag-Ibig Fund allegedly involved in the P6.6-billion housing loan given to “ghost borrowers.”

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva, chairman of the DoJ Task Force on Business Scam, said their findings based on the preliminary investigation were forwarded to the Ombudsman.

“So that the appropriate investigation be conducted against the former and present officers of HDMF,” Villanueva said, the action of which was approved by Prosecutor General Claro Arellano.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the HDMF against officials of Globe Asiatique and HDMF who allegedly conspired to use fake borrowers to become “instant” Pag-IBIG members that would obtain housing loans for units at Xevera Bacolor in Pampanga.

Last week, the DoJ approved the filing of syndicated estafa against officials of GA led by Delfin Lee, its President and Chief Operating Officer; Dexter Lee, son of Delfin Lee and GA’s Executive Vice-President, Chief Finance Officer; Christina Sagun, former head of Gas Documentation Department; Cristina Salagan, head of Gas Accounting/Finance Department and lawyer Alex Alvarez, manager of the Foreclosure Department of the Pag-IBIG Fund.

In June 20, 2008, HDMF entered into an Agreement with GA for the piloting of the special membership program through the Xevera Bacolor Project.

In the span of two years, GA was able to obtain over P6-billion worth of loans from Pag-IBIG Fund representing 9,951 accounts which after confirmation showed that some purported buyers have no knowledge of having availed of the loan.

“The widespread operation of the ‘special buyers’ scheme in the company, not to mention the number of the accounts involved which, according to witnesses…are even more than the regular buyers, as well as the huge amount involved as being indicative and sufficient proof of the existence of a conspiracy, and the participation of the indicted individuals therein,” the DoJ said in its resolution.

While the DoJ has approved the filing of a criminal case against Alvarez, it noted that there may be other officials involved in the scam.

The Office of the Ombudsman has jurisdiction to conduct investigation and prosecution of erring officials of the government.