Assistant Secretary Ophelia Agawin. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Another official of the Department of Agriculture who was charged with plunder before the Office of the Ombudsman has gone on leave.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said in a statement on Tuesday that Assistant Secretary Ophelia Agawin has decided to take time off to give way to a DA investigation into the alleged anomalies in the disbursement of public funds through the agency’s projects and entities under its supervision.
“We have listened to the public outcry and media reports about (them),” Alcala said. “My gratitude to those who constantly push the DA toward transparency and accountability. Asec Agawin and Asec (Assistant Secretary Salvador) Salacup are on leave as we investigate the allegations.”
Whistle blowers have said Agawin was the contact at the DA of Janet Lim-Napoles, who allegedly cheated the government of pork barrel funds through bogus nongovernment organizations and ghost projects.
On Tuesday, Alcala issued a statement in reaction to a report that another DA agency – the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) – was found to have been made a conduit of Napoles’ NGOs.
Unlike in the case of Salacup, who announced two weeks ago that he had gone on leave, there was no previous announcement that Agawin had done the same.
Alcala previously said it was enough for Agawin to have been relieved of her functions relating to the accreditation of NGOs and the implementation of pork barrel funded projects. In the meantime, Agawin was expected to fulfill her other duties assistant secretary for finance.
According to Agriculture Undersecretary Emerson Palad, who is the DA’s spokesperson, Agawin has been on leave since “last week, due to family medical needs.”
Benhur Luy, one of the whistle blowers, earlier said Napoles’ contact at ZNAC Rubber Estate Corp. (ZREC) was its secretary – none other than Agawin.
Last Oct. 1, Salacup – former ZREC president – said he has gone on leave to prepare for his defense against the plunder case.
As assistant secretary who is in charge of agribusiness, fisheries and marketing, Salacup supervises the NAFC.
When asked to comment on the report that the NAFC was also made a conduit of pork barrel, Salacup begged off and said that Alcala would be issuing a statement.
“Rest assured that all projects are under review and we are asking all parties involved for the liquidation of disbursed funds,” Alcala said in his statement. “As soon as we have the results, you the public will be the first to know.”
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