Ex-Misamis Occidental solon, ex-DA chief charged over 'pork' scam

MANILA, Philippines — Former Misamis Occidental First District Rep. Marina Clarete has been formally charged with multiple criminal cases in connection with the alleged misuse of P62.63 million of her Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel from 2007 to 2009.

In separate case information sheets totaling 161 pages, the Office of the Ombudsman charged Clarete before the Sandiganbayan with 18 counts of graft, seven counts of malversation of public funds and 11 counts of the complex crime of malversation through falsification.

Subject to the approval of the court, the ombudsman wanted Clarete's malversation through falsification cases to be non-bailable.

The ombudsman, meanwhile recommended a total of P820,000 bail bond for Clarete's other cases – P30,000 for each count of graft and P40,000 for each count of malversation.

Named as Clarete's co-accused for two counts of graft and one count each of malversation and malversation through falsification was former Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, who is now a representative of the Third District of Bohol.

The ombudsman likewise wanted Yap's malversation through falsification case to be non-bailable, while it recommended P100,000 bail bond for the graft and malversation cases.

The ombudsman said Clarete “unilaterally chose and endorsed” three questionable non-government organizations to implement her seven PDAF-funded livelihood projects without the benefit of a public bidding required under Republic Act 9184 of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Based on the information of the cases, five of the projects were awarded to Kabuhayan at Kalusugang Alay sa Masa Foundation Inc. (KKAMFI) while one project each to Kasangga sa Magandang Bukas Foundation Inc. (KMBFI) and Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. (AFPI).

The ombudsman said the three NGOs were “unaccredited and unqualified” to carry out the projects.

Furthermore, the ombudsman said field investigation revealed that none of the projects were ever implemented as the supposed beneficiaries denied receiving any of the items or attending any of the supposed livelihood seminars.

The ombudsman said the NGOs instead submitted falsified supporting documents such as the list of beneficiaries, accomplishment reports, disbursement and liquidation reports, delivery receipts and sales invoices.

The ombudsman said it was Clarete herself who certified the correctness of some of the documents submitted by the three NGOs.

With the supposed non-implementation of the projects, the Ombudsman said Clarete allowed P62.63-million of her PDAF to go straight to the NGOs' pockets – P45.59 million to KKAMFI, P11.64 million to KMBFI and P5.4 million to AFPI.

As for Yap, the ombudsman said he, as then DA secretary, was the signatory to a memorandum of agreement for one of the five projects awarded to KKAMFI.

Meawhile, the ombudsman also named as respondents in the cases 21 former officials of three abolished state firms National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR), National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC) and Technology Resource Center (TRC) for allegedly processing and releasing the payments to the three NGOs without carefully verifying their qualifications and the supporting documents that they submitted.

The charged NABCOR officials were president Alan Javellana, vice president for administration and finance Rhodora Mendoza, human resources supervisor Encarnita-Cristina Munsod, chief accountant Ma. Julie Villaralvo-Johnson, support services manager Romulo Relevo, general services supervisor Victor Roman Cacal, and bookkeeper Maria Ninez Guañizo.

For NLDC, charged were president Gondelina Amata, accounts servicing and asset management group director Emmanuel Alexis Sevidal, director Evelyn Sucgang, asset management division chief Gregoria Buenaventura, chief budget specialist Ofelia Ordoñez, chief financial analyst Sofia Cruz, director for finance and administrative group Chita Jalandoni, and budget officer Filipina Rodriguez.

The charged TRC officials, meanwhile, include director-general Antonio Ortiz, deputy director-general Dennis Cunanan, technology and livelihood information dissemination services group manager/legislative liaison officer Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, corporate support services group manager Francisco Figura, financial planning and monitoring division budget officer Consuelo Lilian Espiritu, and chief accountant Marivic Jover.

Also included as respondents in the cases were nine private individuals from the three NGOs namely; Marilou Antonio, Allen Calma, Pio Ronquillo, Marilou Ferrer, Flerida Alberto, Maria Paz Vega, Rodrigo Doria, Ma. Nerizan Gador, and Godofredo Roque.

The cases were raffled off to the Sandiganbayan Third Division chaired by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang.