Acting DOH chief also facing corruption probe

MANILA, Philippines - Another official of the Department of Health (DOH) is facing investigation at the Department of Justice (DOJ) apart from Secretary-on-leave Enrique Ona and Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag.

Undersecretary Janette Garin, who has been designated by the Palace as “acting secretary” while Ona is on a month-long leave, is among former lawmakers and officials tagged in the alleged anomaly involving non-pork barrel funds amounting to P5 billion from the defunct National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor).

Garin was implicated in the affidavits of former Nabcor officials Rhodora Mendoza and Victor Cacal, who bared the alleged anomaly in eight previous projects of the agency last March, according to insiders privy to the probe.

Mendoza claimed in her affidavit submitted to the NBI that she personally delivered to Garin and nine other politicians P1 million each during the 2007 elections when the DOH official was still representative of Iloilo’s first district.

Mendoza is Nabcor’s former vice president for administration and finance. Her claim was corroborated by Cacal, the general services supervisor and another whistle-blower.

Mendoza alleged that then Nabcor president Alan Javellana asked her to use P300 million of the agency’s special public fund for the personal expenses of some politicians in the 2007 midterm elections.

She said they made it appear that P105 million was set aside for the technical studies related to the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program, but the money actually went to the campaign kitties of politicians who ran for re-election in 2007.

She further claimed that Javellana told her to take P50 million from the GMA program for former agriculture secretary Arthur Yap, who ran for Bohol congressman.

Former Palawan representative Baham Mitra, Bulacan Rep. Lorna Silverio and then Davao Oriental representative and now Gov. Corazon Malanyaon each got P2 million, while Garin, former Lanao del Sur representative Faysah Dumarpa and former Batanes governor Vicente Gato received P1 million each.

In an earlier TV interview, Garin denied the allegation of the two whistle-blowers, saying she had no dealings with Mendoza or anyone from Nabcor.

Mendoza said she has proof as she has copies of the ID cards of congressional staff members who got the money from her. She was also able to talk to the lawmakers who received the Nabcor funds.

Mendoza, Cacal and Javellana are among 38 government officials and lawmakers facing plunder raps before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the pork barrel scam.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) started the probe on the Nabcor anomaly last April, but has yet to come up with its report and findings.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered the probe after meeting with Mendoza and Cacal behind closed doors last March.

When asked yesterday for an update on the probe, the DOJ chief admitted that the probe has been stalled.

“We were asking for additional documents from the whistle-blowers. I’m not sure if they were able to produce. I will check,” she said in an ambush interview.

De Lima had said that the scheme involved overpricing of projects.

“The funds were supposed to be for technical studies, which were made to appear as assigned to NGOs (non-government organizations) when in fact the funds were deposited to personal bank accounts. It’s simply unbelievable,” she said.

Apart from the GMA program, also tagged by the whistle-blowers were projects involving post harvest facilities, Barangay Food Terminal and Agricultural Competitive Enhancement Fund.

De Lima said findings of the NBI on these non-pork barrel scams would be referred to the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council.

Garin is rumored to be the replacement of Ona, who is also facing investigation over a questionable procurement of vaccine by the DOH in 2012 – along with Tayag.

While Ona is on a month-long leave supposedly due to allergic reaction to hair dye, Garin was named acting secretary by the Palace.

Covered by the NBI probe is the procurement of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 10 (PCV 10), a vaccine for pulmonary diseases for children, as approved both by Ona and Tayag.

Based on the complaints received by the Office of the President last June, the DOH officials approved the procurement of PCV 10 in 2012 despite recommendations from the National Center for Pharmaceutical Access and Management, Formulary Executive Council and the World Health Organization for the more cost-effective PCV 13.

Garin shared this view in a recent interview, explaining that PCV 13 is more efficient as it covers more diseases as compared to PCV 10.