Ex-NCIP head charged

Office of the Ombudsman PHOTO FROM https://www.ombudsman.gov.ph/

MANILA, Philippines—The Ombudsman has filed a malversation case against the former head of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and a separate graft case against the deputy head of the Manila Waterworks and Waterways System (MWSS) for alleged misuse of public funds.

Charged in the Sandiganbayan antigraft court was former NCIP head Eugenio A. Insigne for alleged violation of the Revised Penal Code when he unlawfully drew a cash advance of P214,938.62 for a trip to New York on Sept. 11, 2007.

This was despite a prohibition against using public funds for that purpose as stated in his Authority to Travel.

Despite demands made by the Commission on Audit, Insigne failed to refund P115,133.42 to the government.

In the other case, former MWSS Deputy Administrator Virgilio Ocaya was charged with graft, also in the Sandiganbayan, for allegedly receiving additional employment compensation and double compensation amounting to P240,000 from the Presidential Commission on Good Government as its legal counsel.—Cynthia D. Balana