Ombudsman fires 5 NCMF execs
Five executives of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) have been ordered dismissed over their involvement in the alleged anomalous use of the pork barrel funds of former Maguindanao congressman Simeon Datumanong.
Pork barrel refers to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the multi-billion-peso discretionary fund of senators and congressmen.
The Office of the Ombudsman, in a statement yesterday, said Secretary/Commissioner Mehol Sadain, director III Galay Makalinggan, acting chief accountant Fedelina Aldanese, acting chief Aurora Aragon-Mabang, and cashier Olga Galido were found guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
This is the second set of PDAF charges filed against Sadain. In September 2016, Sadain was charged alongside Senator Gre- gorio Honasan II for the anomalous utilization of Honasan’s P30-million PDAF.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales also ordered the five executives’ perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
The NCMF officials are facing trial before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The Ombudsman said their investigation showed that the De- partment of Budget and Management issued in May 2012 a Special Allotment Release Order for P3.8 million in favor of NCMF and charged against Datumanong’s PDAF.
The money was intended to finance livelihood programs such as soap making, candle making and meat processing for the municipalities of Mamasapano, Ampatuan and Datu Abdullah Sanki.
Datumanong requested that the funds be coursed through the Maharlikang Lipi Foundation, Inc. (MLFI) as NGO-partner.
The Commission on Audit, however, later found out that no public bidding was conducted in the selection of the non-government organization.
The “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,” the Ombudsman said in its decision.