DAR building up cases vs bogus NGOs

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Frida said that it is already collaborating with the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in starting collection cases against questionable non-government organizations (NGOs) in relation to fund releases in late 2010 to 2011.

DAR Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Anthony Parungao said they have collated the documents and completed the required staff work needed for the filing of collection complaints against five of these NGOs.

He added that they have submitted the papers for the cases against three NGOs to the OSG two weeks ago and more papers against two others will be transmitted today.

More documents against the dubious NGOs will be sent in the next weeks, Parungao also said, s they are still doing case build up for the collection complaints on the others.

“The filing of these collection cases is in conformity with the recommendation of the (Commission on Audit)”, Parungao said. “Right now, not all documents are available, although certified true copies of a majority of the checks are already in our possession.”

Parungao said the DAR will continue its internal investigation on the fund releases to other NGOs while "more stringent measures" have also been instituted.

The DAR, along with the Department of Agriculture, has been embroiled into the alleged multi-billion peso pork barrel scam, which diverted lawmakers' pork barrel funds to questionable NGOs.