Ombudsman probes ex-DA chief, 2 ex-solon’s pork scam involvement

Office of the Ombudsman / Wikipedia Photo

MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman is now starting its preliminary investigation on the alleged involvement of the former agriculture secretary Arthur Yap and two former lawmakers in the pork barrel scam.

Yap, former lawmakers Rodolfo Antonino of Nueva Ecija and Anthony Miranda of Isabela were charged with malversation of public funds and graft before the anti-graft agency’s preliminary investigation bureaus.

The three officials were accused of committing irregularities in the allocation of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

“I will face my accusers in the ombudsman’s preliminary proceedings,” Yap said, maintaining his innocence in an interview for the Philippine Star.

Several officials including with former National Agribusiness Corp. (NABCOR) officials Alan Javellana, Encarnita Cristina Munsod, Rhodora Mendoza and Maria Niñez Guanizo, president of Buhay Mo Mahal Ko Foundation Inc. (BMMKFI) Marilou Antonio and Carmelita Barredo, general manager of CC Barredo Publishing House will also be investigated with Yap.

Miranda, Technology Resource Center (TRC) officials Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover, Belina Concepcion, Francisco Figura, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana and Consuelo Lilian Reyes Espiritu as well as Domingo Mamauag and Edison Sabio of Aksyon Makamasa Foundation Inc. (AMFI) will be investigated along with Miranda.

With reports from Philippine Star