Iloilo solon, wife face Ombuds graft charges

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman will file graft charges against Iloilo Rep. Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco, Jr., his wife Judy, formerly a congresswoman, and two others over an alleged illegal fund transfer worth P20 million, according to GMA News Online report.

In an email statement released on Friday, the Ombudsman alleged that in 2005 former Rep. Judy Syjuco’s P20-million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) was illegally transferred to the Tagipusuon Cooperative through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, headed at the time by Boboy Syjuco who was also the founder of the cooperative.

Santiago Yabut Jr., deputy director general at TESDA, and Maria Nela Yniesta, president of the Tagipusuon Cooperative, will also be facing graft charges, according to the 35-page joint resolution of the Ombudsman signed in April 24.

In December 2005, TESDA entered into a memorandum order with the Tagipusuon Cooperative to implement an existing I-CARE Program, a TESDA scholarship-sharing scheme.

While the Ombudsman questioned TESDA’s participation in the project, it cited a Commission on Audit report in 2011, allegedly showing that P5.297 million of the said joint project has been unaccounted for. — From the wires (FREEMAN)