FORMER President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has started receiving various corruption-related cases before the Office of the Ombudsman. Starting from the most recent to the earliest, these filed cases include allegations of many things.
Plunder: Funnelling of Public Funds
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) filed on 7 December 2011 the case against FPGMA for funnelling P391.9 million of public funds under the care PCSO.
From 2007 through 2010, the former chief executive allegedly conspired with PCSO officials to funnel intelligence fund by "circumventing," and/or violating the subject COA circulars relative… to the liquidation of
complainant PCSO’s intelligence/confidential funds.
Rosario Orearte. As PCSO president, Orearte wrote to FPGMA eight times, at least twice a year, requesting that she be allowed to draw from the agency's intelligence fund. On 4 January 2010 (election year) she managed to draw half of the total of P 300 million. During the Senate inquiry, Sen. Franklin Drilon said the PCSO intelligence funds in 2009, amounting to
P116.4 million, were spent against bomb threats, kidnapping, destabilization and
terrorism, which were irrelevant to the agency’s mandate and functions.
She also admitted to using the intelligence funds for blood
money for the families of persons killed by overseas Filipino workers and for
relief operations for victims of natural disasters. The rest of the money however could not be accounted for. [Philippine Daily Inquirer]
Electoral Sabotage: Cheating in the 2007 Elections
After a joint Commission on Election(COMELEC)-Department of Justice (DOJ) wrapped up its fact-finding review, COMELEC filed on 18 November 2011 the electoral sabotage complaint before Office of the Ombudsman.
On or before 14 May 2007, FPGMA and two other co-accused allegedly conspired and helped each other to "12-0" victory in the senatorial candidate using felonious and unlawful tampering of the provincial certificate of canvass (PCOC) of votes, the statements of votes (SOV) by city or municipality, and summary statement of votes (SSOV) for the province of Maguindanao.
Lintang Bedol. Under orders of governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., executing the FGMA verbal instruction, then COMELEC official Bedol proceeded to tamper the PCOC, SOV, and SSOV, adding votes for the 12 Team Unity candidates. The tampered votes ranged from 86,122 to 196,157. [Philippine Daily Inquirer]
DEVELOPMENTS
Presidential Social Fund
The Commission of Audit (COA), in its 2010 report on the Office of the President, disclosed on 14 January 2012 the misuse of the Social Fund of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arrowyo amounting to P1.268 billion. P391 million went to several NGOs--GMAC Foundation, Bicol Network for Community Organizing and Linkages, Philippine Bamboo Foundation, and some others--without disbursement vouchers and supporting documents. The rest went to government agencies. However, all of these were transferred as donations, which COA rules prohibit, skirting around transparency and responsibility in the use of public funds. Donations cannot be routinely checked for proper use of funds and accountability. [The Philippine Daily Inquirer]
DEVELOPMENTS
Presidential Social Fund
The Commission of Audit (COA), in its 2010 report on the Office of the President, disclosed on 14 January 2012 the misuse of the Social Fund of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arrowyo amounting to P1.268 billion. P391 million went to several NGOs--GMAC Foundation, Bicol Network for Community Organizing and Linkages, Philippine Bamboo Foundation, and some others--without disbursement vouchers and supporting documents. The rest went to government agencies. However, all of these were transferred as donations, which COA rules prohibit, skirting around transparency and responsibility in the use of public funds. Donations cannot be routinely checked for proper use of funds and accountability. [The Philippine Daily Inquirer]
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