La Union lawmaker faces ‘pork’ raps

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of charges against La Union second district Rep. Thomas Dumpit Jr. in connection with the pork barrel scam. 

Dumpit will be charged with 15 counts of graft, nine counts of malversation through falsification of public documents and six counts of malversation of public funds.

 A Commission on Audit report showed that Dumpit misused his Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel amounting to P66.5 million from 2007 to 2009.

The money was supposed to be used to fund livelihood training, business clinics, instructional and livelihood materials, grafted seedlings, hand tractors, water pumps, manicure sets, hairdressing kits and sewing machines for Dumpit’s constituents. 

Investigation showed that no kits were distributed nor trainings conducted. The documents submitted to support the liquidation of public funds were fabricated. 

 The ombudsman said the rules on procurement were disregarded in the selection of non-government organizations as implementing agencies. 

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said a copy of the ombudsman ruling should be forwarded to the Anti-Money Laundering Council for appropriate action.