Quedancor officials face graft raps

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of charges against officials of the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corp. (Quedancor) before the Sandiganbayan for the alleged irregular accreditation of suppliers for its swine program in 2004.

To be charged are Region VI regional assistant vice president Mario Molina, Iloilo district supervisor Jose Antonio Muyuela, Iloilo credit assessment group unit head Niño Tabuena, Region III acting regional assistant vice president Luisito Perez and Silver Stock Resources Corp. (SSRC) incorporator Excel Salazar, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said in a 51-page decision issued on Sept. 26.

Morales said Molina, Muyuela, Tabuena and Perez should stand trial for accrediting BIRKS Agri-Livestock Corp., SSRC, Metro Livestock Inc. (MLI) and Farmers Trust Service Consortium Inc. (FSCI) as input suppliers for the Quedancor Swine Program (QSP) in Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales even though the companies failed to meet the accreditation and eligibility requirements.

The decision noted that the input suppliers won contracts amounting to over P1 billion under the QSP despite their meager capital. It cited a 2005 Commission on Audit report which showed that BIRKS was paid P583,273,545; SSRC, P480,891,030; MLI, P382,835,272; and FSCI, P28,852,090.

The QSP was implemented in March 2004 as a credit program where swine raisers may apply for a loan with Quedancor, the proceeds of which would be in the form of hogs, gilts, medicine and feed to be supplied by the input suppliers.