Massacre victims' kin amend plunder raps vs Ampatuans

Four relatives of journalists killed in the November 2009 Maguindanao massacre amended the plunder complaint they filed last January against members of the Ampatuan clan implicated in what is said to be the worst politically-motivated violence in the country. In a 10-page supplemental affidavit, the relatives asked the Office of the Ombudsman to take cognizance of a Commission on Audit (COA) report detailing the alleged misuse of funds allotted for the office of Rizaldy "Zaldy" Ampatuan, suspended governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The COA's scrutiny of funds covered January 2008 to September 2009, when Zaldy was still in office. "The COA-SAO Report No. 2010-01 concluded that funds received by the Office of the Regional Governor for its own operation were not properly utilized and managed taking into consideration applicable laws, rules and regulations," the affidavit said. The original complaint was filed on Jan. 14, 2011. GMA News Online tried to reach Zaldy's lawyer, Redemberto Villanueva, for his comment, but he could not be contacted as of posting time. Citing COA's findings, the relatives said that transactions amounting to P1.003 billion may have been misused "as these were supported with documents that may be considered spurious." They added that Zaldy's office released cash advances amounting to P866.5 million even if there is a general rule that payments must be made by check. They also alleged that there was a lack of public bidding for purchases with the aggregate amount of P650.9 million. A public bidding would have ensured that the government's purchases were obtained at the most reasonable cost. The complainants likewise noted that the majority of the programs and projects of Zaldy's office were not implemented because the P153.49 million — representing 95 percent of the funds intended for these projects — were used to purchase relief goods, medicine, construction materials, and for the payment of catering services, all of which amounted to only P10.7 million. "The COA-SAO Report No. 2010-01 observes that these transactions are also among those not subjected to public bidding, not fully documented and paid out of cash advances," the supplemental affidavit said. Last January, the relatives filed their plunder complaint against 25 members of the Ampatuan clan. The total amount of the Ampatuan clan’s property in question can reach P200 million. Among the Ampatuan clan’s alleged ill-gotten wealth being questioned in the case are 35 houses in Davao City, a mansion in Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao, and 56 luxury vehicles. Named respondents in the case are 25 members of the Ampatuan clan, led by patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his other son, Andal Jr. — KBK, GMA News