TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan- The Ombudsman has formally filed charges before the Sandiganbayan against a former district representative in the Isabela province over his involvement in a liquid fertilizer scam.
Miranda is now facing four counts of graft charges for his violation of Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019 and two charges against Section 3(h) of the same law, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; and two counts of malversation charges for his violations of the Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code, according to the charge sheet filed by M.A. Christian Uy.
The cases stemmed from Miranda’s charges in the Ombudsman where he allegedly turned his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) is his own non-government organization, Aksyon Makasama Foundation Inc. (AMFI).
Also charged were former Director General Antonio Ortiz, Deputy Director General Dennis Lacson Cunanan, chief accountant Marivic Villaluz Jover, former legislative liaison officer and current sales and promotion officer Belina Concepcion, and group managers Francisco Baldoza Figura and Maria Lacsamana of the Technology Resource Center, as well as certain Domingo Mamauag and Edison Sabio.
In the charges, Miranda allegedly picked his own NGO as “project partner” for the implementation of his fertilizer project without proper public bidding.
“The above acts by the accused TRC officials thus allowed AMFI to divert said PDAF-drawn public funds to Miranda’s control and benefit instead of implementing the PDAF-funded projects which turned out to be non-existent,” the charge sheet said.
It added that the project diverted to Miranda’s own NGO over P20,000,000 (P9,500,000 and P10,560,000 separatelly) even though AMFI was not qualified and not accredited to accept PDAF projects..
“Miranda, personally or through his representatives, as well as the other accused public officers and employees, misappropriated the PDAF by diverting the same to AMFI, Miranda’s own NGO,” it added. –Northernforum.net
