OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered on Friday the dismissal of five former officials of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service in connection with a P3.8-million pork barrel fund scam.
She vowed there was no let-up on their investigation into the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.
Ordered dismissed were ex-commissioner Mehol Sadain, ex-director III Galay Makalinggan, ex-acting chief accountant Fedelina Aldanese, ex-acting chief Aurora Aragon-Mabang and cashier Olga Galido.
“In case of separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s one year salary,” the Ombudsman said.
The former NCMF officials are also facing trial before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for the anomalous utilization of the pork barrel fund of ex-Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong.
According to the Ombudsman, an in-depth investigation uncovered that in May 2012, the Department of Budget and Management issued a special allotment release order covering P3,800,000 in favor of NCMF as the implementing agency using Datumanong’s PDAF.
To facilitate the fund utilization, Datumanong requested the P3.8million be coursed through the Maharlikang Lipi Foundation Inc.
The Commission on Audit found the selection of the non-government organization was undertaken in violation of CoA Circular No. 2007-01, noting the absence of public bidding in the NGO-selection process.
“Respondents participated in the preparation, processing and approval of the memorandum of agreement and the PDAF documents governing the project implementation and fund releases to MLFI,” Morales said.
“The funds in question could not have been transferred to the MLFI if not for the recommendations as well as certifications, approval and signatures found in the corresponding disbursement vouchers and checks.”
To support the charges, the Ombudsman said there was “extraordinary accommodation extended to MLFI in the examination, processing and approval by the concerned NCMF officers of the PDAF releases as show by the unnumbered and undated disbursement vouchers; and issuance of check prior to execution of the memorandum of agreement.”