GMA orders probe of UPRIIS exec

CABANATUAN CITY - President Arroyo has ordered an investigation against Engr. Antonio Nangel, acting operations manager of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS), over allegations of unexplained wealth.

Mrs. Arroyo ordered the probe after receiving a letter-complaint from fourth district Rep. Raoul Villareal questioning Nangel’s reinstatement who, he said, has lived a lavish lifestyle.

Nangel first assumed the post of acting UPRIIS manager in January 1999. He served until January 2001 but was reinstated last June 3.

In his letter, Villareal accused Nangel of enriching himself by setting up several businesses in Nueva Ecija during his first stint as operations manager despite having only a meager salary at UPRIIS.

The congressman pointed out that Nangel now owns a gasoline station in Barangay Bangad in this city, around 300 heads of cows and doubles as a contractor with his fleet of heavy equipment.

Nangel also reportedly owns a fertilizer/feed store also in Bangad, vast tracts of lands in Nueva Ecija named after dummies and a mango plantation near the Aulo Dam in Palayan City.

When sought for comment, Nangel said that the congressman’s allegations against him are unfounded and said he is ready to answer the charges. "I live a simple lifestyle," he said.

He said that his investments such as the gasoline station were sourced from the earnings of his wife who worked as a nurse in Saudi Arabia for seven years.

UPRIIS, the country’s biggest irrigation system, operates the Pantabangan Dam, which services some 102,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Central Luzon.