2 DA execs sacked over anomalous agri projects

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman announced yesterday the dismissal from government service of two officials from the Department of Agriculture’s Regional Field Unit III (DA-RFU III) and an instructor of the Bulacan Agricultural State College for misappropriating public funds and falsifying documents in connection with the liquidation of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani High Value Commercial Crops Program (GMA-HVCC) 13 years ago.

In a 24-page decision, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said she found project coordinator Ponciano Vinuya and Bulacan Agricultural State College instructor Julita Ponce guilty of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.

She said DA-RFU III cashier Elena Miranda has also been found guilty of serious dishonesty for her involvement in the alleged anomaly.

The ruling narrated that in November 2001, the Philippine Coconut Authority transferred P4.9 million of GMA-HVCC funds to the DA-RFU III for its project implementation.

DA-RFU III then engaged the services of the Philippine Agriculture and Resources Research Foundation Inc. (PARRFI) as non-government organization partner to conduct an impact assessment for the GMA-HVCC program at the cost of P3 million.

The Commission on Audit (COA), in a special probe, determined that the official receipts, vouchers and other supporting documents used in the liquidation of the funds were falsified, as the actual amount paid to PARRFI was only P150,000 and not P750,000 as claimed by Miranda.

Audit verification showed that no training was conducted in the school and the alleged attendance sheets do not indicate the training and dates.

Meals procured were also considered as overpriced, with Ponce signing the official receipt in behalf of Dang’s Catering Services.

The COA report said liquidation vouchers and supporting documents for Miranda’s cash advances totaling P847,765 were all falsified by Vinuya.

Cicero Garcia, proprietor of Manyaman Keni Restaurant, also denied having transacted with DA-RFU III in August 2002 while the Bureau of Internal Revenue certified that the restaurant did not reflect the alleged transaction as part of their sales.

In the decision, Morales said “misappropriating public funds clearly constitutes misconduct.”

In respondent Vinuya’s case, the misconduct was grave because “he willfully stole public funds” and “committed dishonesty when he falsified official receipts and financial reports in an attempt to conceal the misappropriation.”

Aside from dismissal from the service, Vinuya, Ponce and Miranda were meted the accessory penalties of forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, cancellation of civil service eligibility, and they were barred from retaking the civil service examination.

Meanwhile, the charges against former DA-RFU III regional director Pepito de Dote were dismissed on account of his death in 2009 while the case against accountant Narcisa Maningding was dismissed for lack of substantial evidence.