MikeLigalig.com

FIO submits investigative report on “PDAF scam”
18 November 2013, Ombudsman Press Release

            The Field Investigation Office(FIO) filed three (3) separate complaints for Plunder [punishable under Republic Act (RA) No. 7080, as amended] and violation of Section 3(e) of RA No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and a number of public employees and non-governmental organization (NGO) officers involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) controversy.

Certain public respondents also face administrative charges of Serious Dishonesty, Grave Misconduct, and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service.

             The administrative complaints as against Senators Estrada, Revilla and Enrile, however, are to be referred to the Senate Ethics Committee which has administrative disciplinary jurisdiction over members of the Senate, for appropriate action.

 The FIO was tasked to conduct an investigation into the PDAF scam in July 2013 when Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales motuproprio (even without a lodged complaint at that time) initiated a fact-finding investigation in response to news reports on whistleblower Benhur Luy’s exposé of a “pork barrel scam,” which case build-up was to be conducted in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).  Several FIO Teams were created to expedite the investigation.

The FIO Teams gathered numerous documents and interviewed at least 1,500 witnesses in more than 100 cities and municipalities in 39 provinces[1] all over the country.

Parts of the areas covered by the investigation were the municipalities of Dula, Javier, Babatngon in Leyte,and that of Passi, Iloilo and Llorente, Eastern Samar, which were recently ravaged by typhoon Yolanda.

 FIO Assistant Ombudsman Joselito Fangon acknowledged the cooperation of the NBI, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program officers, the Commission on Audit (COA) and other members of the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council (IAAGCC), in the process of scanning through the entire pieces of evidence available nationwide.

 The FIO complaints are to be assigned to the Special Panel of Investigators (Ombudsman Panel)  that is conducting the preliminary investigation and administrative adjudication, for consolidation with the NBI’s first set of complaints filed on September 16, 2013.

 Upon consolidation and evaluation, the Ombudsman Panel shall, under the Ombudsman rules of procedure, issue an order (with attached copies of the complaints and supporting documents) directing respondents to submit their respective counter-affidavits and controverting evidence.

Meanwhile, the FIO recommendation relating to members of the House of Representatives is being reviewed and finalized.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=88738.0