Officers of DAR employees’ union twit Braganza

"Now, Mr. Secretary, who’s twisting the facts?"

This was the question raised by officers and members of the Department of Agrarian Reform Employees Association (DAREA) as they virtually accused Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza as behind a press statement claiming that President Arroyo had junked their call for his ouster.

The press statement claimed that the President had shot down the campaign of DAREA leaders to oust Braganza. She was quoted as saying that there was "no reason to replace" him because he has been meeting Malacañang’s targets in the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

The statement claimed the President made the pronouncement in a press conference and even quoted Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) chairman Dario Rama.

Rama, however, denied the statement, explaining that what the PAGC junked was the petition to place Braganza under preventive suspension, not the administrative case DAREA has filed against him.

Rama said the case is still being resolved.

"Our subsequent investigation and the denial by Chairman Rama showed that there was no truth to the (press statement). If the release were proven to be the handiwork of Braganza and his men, then they are doing a disservice to the President and the Filipino people...He is showing no respect for the PAGC and the office (of the President) where his mandate emanates," DAREA president Violeta Bonilla.

"No amount of propaganda can hide the truth," she added.

Meanwhile, DAREA said it is set to file a graft complaint against Braganza with the Office of the Ombudsman today, saying they have enough "solid evidence" to support their charges.

Union counsel Joseph Entero said they cannot be accused of forum-shopping since the PAGC has no adjudicatory function to impose sanctions or penalties unlike the Office of the Ombudsman.

"The PAGC can only submit recommendations to the President which she can approve or reject. It can give an evaluation on whether a Cabinet member still has the trust and confidence of the President," Entero said.

He said the graft complaint will involve alleged malversation of public funds such as the expenditures for the DAR website (P7 million), refurbishing of Braganza’s office (P1.7 million) and media and communications (P17.3 million), among other things.

Entero said they are still mulling whether to include in the complaint the alleged P53.3 million spent for the 14th CARP anniversary celebration last June, the main case of DAREA’s complaint with the PAGC.