COA execs linked to latest P500-M pork barrel scam
September 03, 2015: Four officials of the Commission on Audit looked the other way and made the latest pork barrel scam involving P500 million possible.
This, the former lawyer of whistleblowers in the original P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund scandal told GMA News on Thursday.
Lawyer Levito Baligod said the COA officials are involved in the malversation through falsification of public documents case that he filed against 20 lawmakers on Wednesday before the Office of Ombudsman.
“Mas seryoso iyong sinasabi ng witnesses natin dito. Hindi lang nagbulag-bulagan, ang ilang opisyal pa ng COA, iyong opisyal pa ng COA ang nagturo kung paano doktorin iyong mga dokumento na iyan para lang ma-liquidate iyong pondo,” Baligod said.
Baligod did not release the names of the COA officials, but he said that one of them is a commissioner. However, he is uncertain whether they are still with the agency.
The lawyer alleged that the COA officials received brand new vehicles and had trips out of the country in exchange for allowing lawmakers to misuse their PDAF.
He said one of his witnesses even bought a vehicle for a COA official.
“In simple parallelism, iyong COA, siya ang security guard ng kaban ng bayan. Eh kapag iyong security guard mo ay natutulog–worse, nakikikontsaba sa gustong magnakaw eh delikado po iyon,” Baligod said.
COA refused to comment on the issue since it has yet to receive a copy of the complaint.
Another PDAF scam
New complaints were filed against former Senator Edgardo Angara and incumbent Senators Bong Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile and incumbent and former House members.
Meanwhile, the 13 other former and current lawmakers are the following:
Former Rep. Prospero Nograles
Former Rep. Joseph Santiago
Former Rep. Roberto Cajes
Former Rep. Florencio Miraflores
Rep. Niel Tupas Jr.
Rep. Carol Lopez
Former Rep. Edgar San Luis
Rep. Arturo Robes
Former Rep. Joel Villanueva
Former Rep. Rodolfo Antonino
Former Rep. Reno LimCOA execs linked to latest P500-M pork barrel scam
Rep. Julio Ledesma IV
Former Rep. Evita Arago
Former Rep. Rachel Arenas
Former Rep. Alfonso Umali
Rep. Al Francis Bichara
Former Rep. Marina Clarete
Aside from the lawmakers, Baligod also tagged 15 operators of alleged fake non-government organizations where the funds were allocated.
According to Enrile, he is ready to face his accusers.
“I’m going to meet them in the proper forum,” he said.
Meanwhile, Villanueva, who is now the incumbent Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director, said that the accusation may just be related to politics.
“Hindi ko po alam kung ito ay may kinalaman sa pulitika o sa darating na halalan ngunit patuloy pong masasabing na buo ang aking loob na harapin ito,” he said.
Yacap Party List representative Lopez, on the other hand, denied the allegations.
“I maintain my position of innocence and that can be clearly proven should it come to court,” she said in a statement.
Tupas, the representative of the Fifth District of Iloilo City, said that he knew that someone faked his signature to facilitate the release of funds from his PDAF and told COA about the irregularities.
Nonetheless, Baligod said that he is not after the persecution of any of the lawmakers.
“I am not here to torment anybody. Ang issue here is about public funds eh. The issue is beyond the character of any person,” he stressed.
source: GMA News