THE Ombudsman ordered the filing of 18 charges of graft, 11 counts of malversation through falsification of public documents and seven counts of malversation of public documents against ex-Misamis Occidental representative Marina Clarete over her pork barrel funds.
Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap, former Department of Agriculture secretary, is included in the charge sheet.
The other accused were Alan Javellana, Rhodora Mendoza, Encarnita Christina Munsod, Marilou Antonio, Marilou Ferrer, Julie Villaralvo-Johnson, Romulo Relevo, Allen Calma, Victor Roman Cacal, Maria Ninez Guañizo, Flerida Alberto, Maria Paz Vega, Gondolina Amata, Emmanuel Alexis Sevidal, Ofelia Ordoñez, Sofia Cruz, Evelyn Sucgang, Gregoria Buenaventura, Rodrigo Doria, Godofredo Roque, Chita Jalandoni, Filipina Rodriguez, Ma. Neriza Gador, Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, Francisco Figura, Consuelo Lilian Espiritu, Pio Ronquillo and Marivic Jover.
An investigation found that in 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 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 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.
“None of the mayors or municipal agriculturalists in the first district were even aware of the projects,” the Ombudsman’s resolution read.
To liquidate the funds, respondents submitted fabricated documents consisting of partial and final physical reports, certificates of acceptance, auditor’s reports, financial status reports, summaries of training expenses, liquidation reports, inspections reports; purchase orders, distribution summaries, delivery receipts, official receipts, sales invoices, and list of beneficiaries and participants.
Clarete, for her part, claimed her signatures in the documents were forged and that the Commission on Audit had not issued any notice of disallowance for the fund utilization.
“Based on the evidence presented, the widespread misuse of the PDAF allocated to Clarete was coursed through a complex scheme basically involving projects supposedly funded by the PDAF but which turned out to be inexistent or ghost,” Ombudsman Morales said.