Ex-Iloilo lawmaker, Maguindanao mayor face graft raps

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of graft charges against a former congressman of Iloilo and a former mayor of Kabuntalan town in Maguindanao before the Sandiganbayan.

In a resolution signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on Jan. 8 and released yesterday, former fifth district representative Rolex Suplico would be indicted in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Antonio Ortiz, director general of the defunct Technology and Livelihood Resource Center, and Alfredo Ronquillo, president of nongovernment organization AARON Foundation Philippines Inc., were included in the charge sheets.

The ombudsman cited a report of the Commission on Audit which showed that Suplico has yet to liquidate P14.7 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel he received in 2007. “It could only mean that he benefitted from the transaction or that he was grossly negligent,” the court said.

Graft probers said AARON was also found to have no business permit.

The charges to be filed against Datu Umbra Dilangalen Al Hadj, municipal accountant Rahima Ali and municipal treasurer Kabiba Mael are in connection with a water project.

The ombudsman said the municipal government released P5 million to FFJJ Construction despite noncompletion of a small water impounding project in 2011.

“Dilangalen, Mael and Ali... gave unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference to FFJJ when they signed the disbursement vouchers,” the ombudsman resolution stated. “At no time should full payment be made prior to the completion of the project.”

Ali and Mael were also found guilty of grave misconduct and ordered dismissed from the service.