Syjuco charged over pork misuse by own NGO

Former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr. has been charged again in the Sandiganbayan for the alleged misuse of his pork barrel funds by a nongovernment organization (NGO) he founded.

Ombudsman prosecutors accused Syjuco of allowing Tagipusuon Foundation Inc. to defraud the government of P999,900 in Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) allocations from August to December 2004.

Tagipusuon was allegedly “predetermined” as the implementing NGO and designee partner for the P5-million CDF project intended for the Education for All Program of Pavia municipality.

The NGO allegedly “was able to pad the amount spent for the program” because the public officials involved supposedly failed to scrutinize the supporting documents, according to the charge sheet. —Vince F. Nonato