Former La Union representative Thomas Dumpit Jr. was indicted for malversation, graft and falsification of public documents for the alleged misuse of P66.5-million pork barrel from 2007 to 2009.
In a statement on Friday, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said she found probable cause to charge Dumpit with 15 counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, nine counts of Malversation thru Falsification of Public Documents and six counts of Malversation of Public Funds.
According to a Commission on Audit report, Dumpit allotted P66.5 million of his Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) to fund projects such as distribution of livelihood training kits, business clinics, market development, livelihood trainings, distribution of instructional and livelihood materials, grafted seedlings, hand tractors, water pumps, manicure sets, hairdressing kits and sewing machines, to benefit the constituents of the second district of La Union.
But the Ombudsman’s investigation showed that the funds went instead to ghost projects, that no kits were distributed and no trainings conducted.
The documents submitted to support the liquidation of the public funds also turned out to be fabricated.
Ombudsman field investigators also found out that the supposed beneficiaries did not receive any kits and seedlings, or did not benefit from any training.
Many supposed beneficiaries on the list are not even residents or registered voters in La Union.
Public officials interviewed by the Ombudsman investigators also said they were not recipients of the projects.
Suppliers also denied they issued the receipts and invoices in the liquidation reports.
Dumpit identified the National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC), National Agri-Business Corporation (NABCOR) and the Technological Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) as implementing agencies of his pork barrel projects.
These agencies were dissolved after these were used in the pork barrel scam orchestrated by alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
Dumpit also endorsed the bogus foundations Aaron Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (AFPI), Kabuhayan at Kalusugan Alay sa Masa Foundation (KKMFI) and Kasangga sa Magandang Bukas Foundation, Inc. (KMBFI).
Dumpit also disregarded the rules of procurement in his selection of the bogus implementing foundations, the Ombudsman said.
Ombudsman Morales in her resolution said that “noteworthy is the extraordinary accommodation extended to the [NGOs] in the examination, processing and approval by the concerned [implementing agencies] in the PDAF releases.”
“In some instances, the Disbursement Vouchers were accomplished, signed and approved within a one-day interval, if not the same day,” she added.
Morales said Dumpit is accountable for his PDAF because the Supreme Court ruling scrapping the pork barrel as unconstitutional said “it is the legislator who exercises actual control and custody of the PDAF share.”
Also set to be charged are the following implementing agency and NGO officials: Antonio Ortiz, Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana, Francisco Figura, Consuelo Espiritu, Marivic Jover, Helen Chung, Pio Ronquillo, Bernadette Cabrera, Aurora Trinidad, Isabel Borja, Roderick Estacio, Analyn Bonifacio, Maricel Jacob, Morrys Ang, Fe Magtira, Reynaldo Guevara, Luisita Sese, Al Ablaza, Alejandro Orpillo, Flerida Alberto, Marilou Antonio, Carmelita Barredo, Godofredo Roque, Rodrigo Doria, Mariflor Villanueva, Elsa Walican, Gondelina Amata, Ofelia Ordoñez, Emmanuel Alexis Sevidal, Chita Jalandoni, Gregoria Buenaventura, Sofia Cruz, Maria Paz Vega, Filipina Rodriguez, Evelyn Sucgang, Ma. Neriza Gador, Lilibeth Aloot, Emilio Estaloza Cresencio Palway, George Roque and Joel Soriano.
Morales sent her findings to the Anti-Money Laundering Council for possible charges of violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. IDL/rga
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