Pinagtibay ni Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ang kaso laban sa dating kinatawan ng North Cotabato na si Gregorio Ipong kaugnay sa pamamahagi ng Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) sa kanyang probinsiya noong 2007.
Kasama ni Gregorio, na ngayo’y vice governor ng North Cotabato, sa kaso si dating Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral, dating DSWD Undersecretary Mateo Montaño, Chief Accountant Leonila Hayahay at Roberto Solon ng Economic and Social Cooperation for Local Development Foundation, Inc. (ECOSOC).
Idinawit sila sa mga “ghost project” na ginastusan ng P9.4 milyon mula sa pork barrel ni Ipong matapos makitaan ng probable cause ng Ombudsman ang mga reklamong isinampa sa kanila.
Ayon sa anti-graft agency, si Ipong ang responsable sa maanomalyang paggamit ng kanyang pork barrel dahil nagpalabas siya ng Special Release Allotment Order (SARO) noong Enero 2007.
Tinatayang 132,000 pamilya, lumikas sa Eastern Visayas dahil sa super typhoon Pepito
“The fund was supposed to target the poor and marginalized sectors of Ipong’s constituents in the 2nd district through medical missions, health materials and various medicines worth P400,000.00; and capacity building/livelihood capital assistance for 75 marginal families in extremely difficult circumstances pegged at P9million, or P120,000 per family,” ayon sa Ombudsman.
Sinabi ng Ombudsman na natuklasan ng mga field investigator nito na iniutos ni Ipong na ibigay ang pondo sa DSWD bilang implementing agency sa tulong ng ECOSOC bilang non-government organization (NGO)-partner.
Natuklasan na karamihan sa mga nakibanang sa proyekto ay itinangging nakatanggap sila ng naturang tulong mula sa pork fund.
”Certifications and affidavits from city, municipal and barangay officials were obtained by the Ombudsman to prove that the PDAF was used to fund Ipong’s ‘ghost projects,’ saad ng Ombudsman.
Dagdag nito, “Key documents were obtained showing the absence of due diligence audit of the NGO as ECOSOC was financially incapable of implementing multi-million peso projects due to its measly capital of only P56,000.”
(JUN RAMIREZ)
