Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has ordered the filing of graft and malversation charges against a former Mindanao lawmaker for using P65 million of her congressional pork barrel funds for “ghost projects” from 2007 to 2009. ADVERTISEMENTInvestigators found that from 2007 to 2009, the Department of Budget and Management released P65 million as part of the lawmaker’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF or pork barrel), a discretionary fund for projects identified by lawmakers. Clarete then identified and endorsed Nabcor, National Livelihood Development Corp. and Technology Resource Center, as implementing agencies of her livelihood project. Clarete claimed that the P65 million was used to fund the distribution of livelihood technology kits and trainings; water pumps; hand tractors; and seedlings of calamansi, rambutan and mango. To liquidate the funds, respondents submitted “fabricated documents,” the Ombudsman said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 16, 2016 21:45 UTC