Ex-Isabela solon indicted for ‘pork’ fraud

After a year of investigation, the Ombudsman has charged former Isabela Rep. Anthony Miranda (Fourth District) for allegedly channeling P20 million of his pork barrel funds to his own nongovernment organization for ghost livelihood projects in 2007.

Ombudsman Conchita Morales said Miranda and eight other people, including officials of the Technology Resource Center (TRC) already being tried for the pork barrel scam connected to Janet Lim-Napoles, will be charged with two counts of graft and two counts of malversation.

She also asked the Anti-Money Laundering Council to investigate Miranda for possible violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

“Miranda had treated his PDAF as if it were his own funds, dictating how it should be utilized and released,” Morales said in her resolution.

Miranda allegedly misappropriated P20.06 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2007 “through a scheme involving livelihood projects in his district which turned out to be nonexistent or ghost,” the Ombudsman said.

The funds were allegedly diverted to Miranda’s pockets through Aksyon Makamasa Foundation Inc. (Amfi), an NGO incorporated and chaired by Miranda himself.

The others to be charged with Miranda are former TRC director Antonio Ortiz, then deputy director Dennis Cunanan, chief accountant Marivic Jover and group managers Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana and Francisco Figura, former legislative liaison officer Belina Concepcion, and Amfi representatives Domingo Mamauag and Edison Sabio.

Investigators found that upon Miranda’s request, the Department of Budget and Management released P21 million in two tranches to the TRC in January and February 2007.

Miranda then wrote to the TRC endorsing Amfi as the implementer of his pork barrel-funded livelihood projects.

“Through (Amfi representative) Mamauag, Miranda received the amount comprising 95 percent of his PDAF on March 12, 2007, and April 2, 2007, respectively without submitting any progress reports or liquidation documents despite demands,” Morales said.

Miranda’s P20-million PDAF remains unliquidated, the Ombudsman noted.