NBI pushes graft raps vs 20 over Porac land used for Pogo

POGO COMPOUND Photo shows the compound supposed to have been used for Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) in Porac, Pampanga. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The National Bureau of Investigation has recommended to the Office of the Ombudsman the prosecution of 14 public officials and six private citizens for alleged graft and falsification of documents.

The private citizens include a landowner who sold lands that were later leased to a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) in Porac, Pampanga, which was shut down by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in June, according to the 10-page NBI document transmitted on Oct. 3.

A copy of the document was given to the Inquirer on Thursday.

Lawyer Angelito DLP Magno, the NBI assistant director for investigative service, signed the recommendation on behalf of NBI Director Jaime Santiago.

Private complainant

NBI Central Luzon chief Isaac Carpeso transmitted the findings from an investigation by lawyer Dickson Maraneg, the NBI Pampanga District Office head.

The investigation was prompted by a complaint from Ronnie de Guzman Dungca, a land reform beneficiary, who alleged that the public officials violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practice Act, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, Civil Service Laws and 1987 Revised Administrative Code.

He accused the private persons with falsification and use of falsified documents.

At least 10 officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), including former regional director and now Assistant Secretary Ma. Celestina Tam, three officials of the Land Bank of the Philippines and one from the Register of Deeds were named in the complaint.

Evicted in 2018

The six private citizens included Ruperto Cruz, owner of Victoria Tourism Park Corp., and one notary public.

Pyra Lucas, chair of the United Pilipino Against Crime and Corruption, requested the NBI to investigate Dungca’s allegations.

Dungca claimed that the DAR awarded him a piece of land in Pulong Manga in Porac but armed men evicted him in 2018 because the property was supposedly owned by Victoria Tourism Park Corp.

Lucas said Dungca and 23 other claimants did not agree to a “settlement” with Cruz in 2019 to acquire heir lands. In fact, he said they won an illegal conversion case involving 46 hectares at the DAR central office.

This property was where the Pogo company Lucky South 99 built its 46 buildings in Porac.

Hidden, then transferred

In an interview with Lucas on Friday, she said the scheme used by the officials and the private citizen named in the complaint involved DAR officials. The DAR officials allegedly hid the farmers’ titles and after 10 years transferred them to buyers with allegedly fake deeds of sale and identification but without DAR clearance to transfer.

In hearings of the Pampanga provincial board, Cruz was found to have sold 10 hectares of his estate to Whirlwind Corp. which leased the property to Lucky South.

Lucky South was raided by PAOCC last June on allegations of torture, prostitution and money scams.

Signature forged

Lucas said the 10 hectares leased to Lucky South were part of the 46 hectares that were “illegally converted” from agricultural to other uses.

Dungca said that he never received a copy of his land title. Neither did he amortize it nor transfer its ownership.

But it was allegedly sold by him in 2019 before being mortgaged and its deed of sale to Victoria annotated in 2021.

An NBI analysis found that Dungca’s signatures were forged in the documents.

Santiago said he requested an investigation “as to the probable administrative liability of the subjects since their actions were contrary to law, rules and regulations, unreasonable, unfair, oppressive discretionary, and there is abuse of authority and grave misconduct in the performance of their duties to the detriment of the complainants.”