Former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The former Agriculture Secretary of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and two former lawmakers will face formal investigation before the Office of the Ombudsman for malversation and violation of the anti-graft law in connection with the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
To undergo formal preliminary investigation are:
-former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap;
-former Nueva Ecija Representative Rodolfo Antonio and
– former Isabela Representative Anthony Miranda
Along with the three are former National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor) officials Alan Javellana, Encarnita Cristina Munsod, Rhodora Mendoza and Maria Niñez Guanizo as well as Marilou Antonio, President of Buhay Mo Mahal Ko Foundation, Inc. (BMMKFI, a non-Napoles NGO), and Carmelita Barredo, General Manager of CC Barredo Publishing House (CC Barredo);
Technology Resource Center (TRC) officials Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover, Belina Concepcion, Francisco Figura, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, and Consuelo Lilian Reyes Espiritu as well as Domingo Mamauag and Edison Sabio of Aksyon Makamasa Foundation, Inc. (AMFI). Technology Resource Center (TRC) officials Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover, Belina Concepcion, Francisco Figura, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, and Consuelo Lilian Reyes Espiritu as well as Domingo Mamauag and Edison Sabio of Aksyon Makamasa Foundation, Inc. (AMFI).
Initial investigation by the Ombudsman showed that Antonio allowed the release of his P15 million PDAF to Nabcor through Yap even if the corporation was not identified in the 2007 General Appropriations Act.
Then, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed by Yap and Javellana for the implementation of Antonio’s project worth P14.550 million.
Javellana then approved the release of the first tranche of payment to BMMKFI without the signature of Nabcor accountant Roderica Bitancor.
BMMKFI bought sets of livelihood kits which were distributed to several towns in Nueva Ecija.
However, after an on-site validation, no city or municipal official received the livelihood sets.
On a separate case, Miranda allegedly released his P21 million PDAF to AMFI as conduit NGO through TRC.
Upon investigation by the Ombudsman’s fact finding team, the project lacks beneficiaries, does not have standards for project implementation and project acceptance, lack of project cost estimates, one lump sum payment instead of a schedule of release of payment.
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