DAVAO CITY – Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has ordered the filing of charges against former Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas IV for the alleged misuse of R6 million worth of Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
Also charged were nine others who were involved in the ghost projects in 2008.
In the resolution, the Ombudsman recommended the filing of two counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019), one count of malversation and another count for malversation through falsification of public documents.
Based on the resolution, the former lawmaker, who was elected as House member in 2007, claimed using his R6 million pork barrel for “business clinics, market development and technology transfer through livelihood trainings and seminars, coursed through Farmerbusiness Development Corporation (FDC) as NGO-partner and the Technology Resource Center as implementing agency.”
But it added that on site field verification conducted by the office of the Ombudsman disproved the lawmaker’s claim about the project implemented or training kits distributed to farmers.
“The documents submitted by FDC such as project final report, certificates of service rendered, delivery receipts and acknowledgement receipts were all fabricated. It was also uncovered that the signatures appearing on the livelihood training program registration form were forged, with the alleged beneficiaries denying having received any training,” it said.
Ombudsman Morales said it is the legislator who exercises actual control and custody of the PDAF share allocated to him by statute.
Nine others are also facing charges, namely: project consultant Vanie Semillano, Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, Marivic Jover, Consuelo Lilian Espiritu, Johanne Edward Labay, Arnolfo Reyes and Aileen Carrasco. (ANTONIO COLINA)