The Ombudsman orders the filing of 18 counts of graft, 11 counts of malversation through falsification of public documents and 7 counts of malversation of public documents against Former Misamis Occidental Representative Marina Clarete before the Sandiganbayan.
The charges stem from alleged use of her pork barrel fund for "ghost" projects.
Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap and Former Department of Agriculture secretary are also included in the charge sheet.
Ombudsman’s investigation found that from 2007 to 2009, the Department of Budget and Management issued seven special allotment release orders of P65 million as part of Clarete's Priority Development Assistance Fund.
Clarete had identified and endorsed the National Agri-business Corp., National Livelihood Development Corp. and Technology Resource Center as implementing agencies with Kabuhayan at Kalusugang Alay sa Masa Foundation Inc., Kasangga sa Magandang Bukas Foundation Inc. and Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. as non-government organization-partners.
Clarete had claimed the P65 million was used to fund the distribution of livelihood technology kits and trainings, water pumps, hand tractors, calamansi, rambutan and mango seedlings.
Onsite field validation, however, revealed the recipients enumerated in the list of purported beneficiaries denied having received any of the items.