Ombudsman starts probe of ex-DA chief over ‘pork’

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has begun its preliminary investigation into the alleged irregular allocation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of former agriculture secretary Arthur Yap and two former congressmen.

Yap maintained his innocence even as he expressed hope the ombudsman will accord him due process.

“I will face my accusers in the ombudsman’s preliminary proceedings,” Yap told The STAR.

Charges of malversation of public funds and graft were recently filed against Yap and former lawmakers Rodolfo Antonino of Nueva Ecija and Anthony Miranda of Isabela before the anti-graft agency’s preliminary investigation bureaus.

The Office of the Ombudsman said Antonino and Yap would undergo investigation along with former National Agribusiness Corp. (NABCOR) officials Alan Javellana, Encarnita Cristina Munsod, Rhodora Mendoza and Maria Niñez Guanizo, president of Buhay Mo Mahal Ko Foundation Inc. (BMMKFI) Marilou Antonio and Carmelita Barredo, general manager of CC Barredo Publishing House.

Miranda will be investigated along with Technology Resource Center (TRC) officials Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover, Belina Concepcion, Francisco Figura, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana and Consuelo Lilian Reyes Espiritu as well as Domingo Mamauag and Edison Sabio of Aksyon Makamasa Foundation Inc. (AMFI).

Cunanan, Jover, Concepcion, Lacsamana and Espiritu are also facing administrative charges for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The first phase of the investigation of Antonino covers his P15-million PDAF to the Department of Agriculture (DA) for an Integrated Livelihood Project for the 4th district of Nueva Ecija under Special Allotment Order ROCS-07-02898.

The complaint alleged that the project is inexistent based on on-site validation. Investigation found that neither the BMMKFI nor Antonino’s office submitted a list of actual beneficiaries or a detailed liquidation report.

Investigation showed that on Feb. 14, 2007 or even prior to the actual transfer of funds to the DA, Antonino requested Yap to transfer the funds to NABCOR even if NABCOR was not identified in the General Appropriations Act of 2007 as among the implementing agencies of PDAF.

Records also show that Javellana approved the release of the first tranche of payment to BMMKFI without the signature of NABCOR accountant Roderica Bitancor, who was supposed to certify that the supporting documents are complete and proper.

Projects for Isabela

Around P21 million of Miranda’s PDAF was released to AMFI as the conduit NGO through TRC (then known as Technical Livelihood Research Center) as the implementing agency for livelihood programs and projects in the 4th district of Isabela.

Records show that the funds were released under SARO ROCS-07-00608 (P10M) and ROCS-07-004174 (P11M) on Jan. 15, 2007 and Feb. 23, 2007, respectively.

On Feb. 8, 2007, Miranda allegedly requested that the first PDAF of P10 million be released to AMFI, of which he acted as incorporator, director and chairman based on AMFI’s General Information Sheet for 2007 at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On March 12, 2007, Miranda allegedly requested P11 million be released to AMFI, through an endorsement letter with an attached Work and Financial Plan and a Project Proposal that he endorsed.

Ombudsman investigators said the memorandum of agreement between TRC and AMFI was filled with irregularities, citing lack of identified beneficiaries, standards for project implementation and project acceptance, project cost estimates and lump sum payment instead of a schedule of release of payment.

The complaint also alleged that TRC failed to heed the COA circular on NGO accreditation, while AMFI failed to submit the required three-year financial statements to TRC that would have ensured that AMFI had a stable financial condition such that the fund assistance shall not be its sole source of funds, and had proven experience in fund management.

SEC records show that AMFI sourced its funds only from government assistance, and did not comply with SEC reportorial requirements from 2007 to the present.

Investigation also did not yield any record showing that AMFI implemented or completed the projects, despite demand by COA to liquidate as early as May 30, 2012. With Paolo Romero