Officials linked to ‘pork’ scam ordered dismissed from service

MANILA, Philippines -  The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the perpetual dismissal from government service of officials found to have conspired with former House speaker Prospero Nograles and three other congressmen in the anomalous utilization of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Sacked were Nograles’ chief of staff Jennifer Karen Lagbas and chief public affairs officer Danilo Jamito; Alan Javellana, Encarnita Cristina Munsod, Romulo Relevo and Rhodora Mendoza of the now defunct National Agribusiness Corp.; Gondelina Amata, Emmanuel Alexis Sevidal, Ofelia Ordoñez, Sofia Cruz of the National Livelihood Development Corp. ; and Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover, Belina Concepcion and Maurine Dimaranan of the Technology Resource Center.

The others were Filipina Rodriguez, Chita Jalandoni, Gregoria Buenaventura and Elsie Walican. 

Aside from Nograles, the three other former members of the House involved were Salacnib Baterina, Marc Douglas Cagas IV and Thomas Dumpit Jr.

In a statement, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said the respondents were found liable for various administrative offenses such as grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

In case the penalty can no longer be implemented due to separation from service, the ombudsman said the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s one year salary.  

The ombudsman said multimillion-peso PDAF projects were found to be “ghost projects.”

In the ombudsman’s field investigation, it was discovered that many of the livelihood project beneficiaries denied receipt of the livelihood technology kits/materials, grafted seedlings, hand tractors and water pumps. 

The reported projects implemented through the non-government organizations were supported by questionable and spurious documents. Suppliers also denied providing farm implements or issuing any invoices and receipts.