Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has filed graft and malversation charges against Former Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral and Former North Cotabato Second District Representative Gregorio Ipong.
This is in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF.
The Ombudsman has found Ipong, now the Vice Governor of Cotabato, responsible for the anomalous use of his P 9.4-million pork barrel issued in January 2007.
The fund was meant to support livelihood projects and programs for the poor in Ipong's district but instead, Ipong had ordered the money to be diverted to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The DSWD acted as the implementing agency with ECOSOC as non-government organization partner.
Ombudsman’s on-site field verification, however, revealed the supposed beneficiaries did not receive any assistance.
The ruling stated that “Cabral, as then DSWD Secretary, prepared, reviewed and entered into the Memorandum of Agreement governing the implementation of the projects.”