DILG to file P2.6B graft raps vs Zaldy Ampatuan, others

Rizaldy 'Zaldy' Ampatuan (center). File photo

The Department of Interior and Local Government on Friday said it would file graft charges against suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Rizaldy "Zaldy" Ampatuan over an alleged P2.559 billion worth of misallocated funds. Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said the graft and corruption charges to be filed against Ampatuan and several of his subordinates while he was still governor stemmed from a report from the Commission on Audit about alleged multi-billion peso misallocation in 2008 and 2009. "The findings disclosed that there was a total disregard of budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations," Robredo said in a statement. "Based on the audit findings, many ARMM officials seem to be oblivious of what transparency, integrity, public responsibility and accountability are," he added. Ampatuan is among the 196 individuals facing 57 counts of murder for the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre. He is currently detained at the Quezon City jail annex inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. As of this posting, GMA News Online is still trying to reach Ampatuan for comment. Postponement of ARMM polls Robredo said these alleged irregularities in the regional government should be one of the reasons why the scheduled ARMM elections in August should be postponed. "The region has to start clean. There appears to be no check and balance in the use and disposition of the ARMM funds," he said. The DILG, according to Administrative Order 273, has supervisory powers over autonomous regions in the Philippines, including the ARMM. Included in the ARMM are the provinces of Sulu, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and the Islamic City of Marawi. The COA Special Audit Team carried out the audit from Feb. 1 to Dec. 20, 2010 and focused on the utilization of funds received by the local government under Ampatuan from 2008 to 2009. Based on its findings, the COA said it found out that ARMM officials authorized the grant of cash advances to disbursing officers amounting to P866.513 million, which represents 80 percent of the total disbursements of the office of the Regional Governor. "The COA findings state that there is a total disregard of the general audit rule that payments must be made in check," the COA report said, further citing an instance when an accountable officer held P99.881 million in cash despite the "unconscionable in view of the risks involed in maintaining such amounts." The other COA special audit findings include:

procurements/purchases not subjected to public bidding involving P650.987 million;

non-implementation of programs and projects funded out of Special Purpose Fund worth P153.49 million; non-documentation of MDS account and receipts and disbursements out of Trust Fund (P50.128M Trust Fund and P2.944M MDS account not recorded in the books of ORG account;

unreasonable maintenance of ARMM Manila Liaison Office (MLO) amounting to P29.256M;

grant of traveling allowance which is not in accordance with Executive Order No. 298 (P5.91M exceeded claims, P1.3334M un-liquidated; and

the audit of current transactions amounting to P741.002M was considered fictitious being supported with spurious receipts and invoices, among others. In the recommendations part of the COA report, the agency appealed to the DILG to "closely monitor the ARMM operations to ensure that laws are faithfully adhered to due to the apparent disregard by former ARMM officials of applicable laws, rules and regulations and misappropriation of funds." Congressional approval President Benigno Aquino III and administration allies in Congress are pushing for the postponement of the ARMM polls from August this year to May 2013, and the appointment instead of officers-in-charge until the time of the rescheduled polls. The House of Representatives has already approved the proposed measure to postpone the ARMM polls. On the other hand, the Senate had just started its committee hearings on the matter. Aside from alleged fund irregularities in the ARMM, Robredo said other obstacles are still hindering successful regional elections, including the continued proliferation of private armies in the area and the unresolved peace talks between the government and rebel soldiers in the region. Also, Robredo said that the voters' list in the ARMM still has to be purged first to ensure the the special elecions with be free from irregularities. — RSJ, GMA News