CA upholds dismissal of ex-vice gov over ‘pork’ scam

MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld with finality the dismissal from service of former North Cotabato vice governor and congressman Gregorio Ipong in connection with a case involving his pork barrel funds.

In a two-page resolution issued last week, the CA affirmed its earlier decision, which upheld the order of the Office of the Ombudsman finding Ipong guilty of misusing his P4.9-million pork barrel funds when he was congressman in 2007.

The CA denied for lack of merit Ipong’s motion for reconsideration, saying the MR raised the same issues and arguments that were resolved in the earlier decision.

The CA said the ombudsman was correct in finding Ipong guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

It rejected the petitioner’s defense that the ombudsman had no jurisdiction over the case, as it involved acts supposedly committed when he was congressman.

The CA said the administrative complaint was filed when Ipong was vice governor of Cotabato, thereby placing him under the ombudsman’s investigative power.

The case stemmed from the allocation of Ipong’s pork barrel to the projects of Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc., which turned out to be a fictitious non-government organization.

Ipong was officially removed from office when the Department of the Interior and Local Government  implemented the ombudsman order in November 2016.

He ran, but lost in the congressional race during the recent elections.