Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has recommended the filing of graft and malversation charges against Former Nueva Ecija Third District Representative Aurelio Umali and five other persons.
This is in connection with Umali’s alleged questionable use of his 2005 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel worth P 15-million.
The fund was supposed to be used to purchase irrigation pumps and liquid fertilizers for farmers in Laur, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Sta Rosa, General Natividad and Cabanatuan City.
However, the Ombudsman found out that no actual purchases were done and the money ended up in ghost projects of non-government organizations (NGOs) linked to businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.
Included as respondents in the cases are Napoles, Department of Agriculture Regional Executive Director Renato Manantan and accountant Narcisa Maningding, as well as Anita Tansipek and Corazon Bautista from the NGO “Samahan ng mga Manininda ng Prutas sa Gabi, Inc.”
