Plunder case vs GMA junked

MANILA, Philippines - A criminal complaint for plunder and graft against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) head Francisco Duque III and 10 other former government officials was dismissed recently for lack of merit.

They were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for the alleged misuse of some P530 million in Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Medicare funds.

The anti-graft agency said the money reached the intended beneficiaries abroad.

Also dismissed were charges of malversation of public funds, qualified theft, and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Also cleared were former executive secretary Alberto Romulo, former OWWA Board of Trustees chairman Patricia Sto. Tomas; and then OWWA Board of Trustees members Virgilio Angelo, Manuel Imson, Rosalinda Baldoz, Mina Figueroa, Caroline Rogge, Victorino Balais, Gregorio Oca and Virginia Pasalo.

The Office of the Ombudsman’s decision reversed a Department of Justice recommendation dated Jan. 4, 2012 to file technical malversation of public funds charges against Arroyo, Duque, Romulo, and Angelo.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales approved the reversal on Oct. 12, 2012 based on the recommendations of a panel of prosecutors and graft investigators.

Graft probers said they found no evidence to establish that Arroyo and the former officials misused or misappropriated OWWA Medicare funds for overseas Filipino workers since the money reached their intended beneficiaries.

The DOJ had dismissed the plunder and graft charges against Arroyo and the other respondents but recommended that four of them be charged with technical malversation.

However, Morales rejected the recommendation because no evidence supported the case.