Former Speaker Prospero Nograles. Photo from https://www.congress.gov.ph
MANILA, Philippines –Three former congressmen, an ex-Agriculture secretary, and heads of government agencies face a malversation complaint for another case of the alleged misuse of their pork barrel funds.
Ombudsman investigators filed the complaint against former Speaker Prospero Nograles (appointed as caretaker-Representative of the 1st District of Misamis Oriental following the death of Representative Danilo Lagbas), Bukidnon Representative Candido Pancrudo, Jr., La Union Representative Thomas Dumpit, Jr., as well as former Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap for the alleged misuse of P163.2 million worth of Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF).
Nograles and Yap were public officials during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Yap is an incumbent Bohol representative.
Also included in the complaint are the officials of the following implementing agencies—National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor), National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC), Technology Resource Center (TRC); as well as the officials of questionable non-government organizations—Kabuhayan at Kalusugan Alay sa Masa Foundation, Inc. (KKAMFI), Buhay Mo Mahal Ko Foundation (BMMKFI), Gabay at Pag-asa ng Masa Foundation, Inc. (GPMFI), Kasangga sa Magandang Bukas Foundation, Inc. (KMBFI), Farmerbusiness Development Corporation (FDC), Uswag Pilipinas Foundation, Inc. (UPFI), and Aaron Foundation Philippines, Inc. (AFPI).
The complaint stemmed from the Commission on Audit special report on the disbursement of billions of PDAF from 2007 to 2009, which resulted in the filing of plunder charges and the detention of three senators, their aides, government officials as well as accused mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
The Ombudsman noted ghost beneficiaries or deliveries of farming and livelihood projects using the PDAF of the following lawmakers:
Nograles – P47.5 million
Dumpit – P66.5 million
Pancrudo – P49.2 million
Yap was included in the complaint for allegedly allowing the questionable transactions under his watch.
The following agency and NGO officials were included in the complaint: Nabcor officials Alan Javellana, Rhodora Mendoza, Victor Roman Cacal and Maria Ninez Guañizo; TRC officials Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, Francisco Figura, Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana, Consuelo Espiritu and Marivic Jover; FDC representatives Johanne Edward Labay and Victorino Ujano; UPFI representatives Mark Espinosa, and project supplier Aileen Carrasco of Felta Multimedia Inc.
The officials of NLDC, TRC and Nabcor also face graft charges for their alleged involvement in Napoles’ pork barrel scam.
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