Ombudsman files charges vs 6 DPWH execs over P491-M ‘right-of-way’ scam
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday filed graft and malversation charges before the Sandiganbayan against six former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials over their alleged involvement in a P491-million “road right-of-way scam” in General Santos City.
In a previous statement, the Ombudsman said it found “prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction” against six officials of DPWH-Soccsksargen, including former Regional Director Subair Saro Diron and former assistant Regional Director Laureano Suan Jr.
It added that seven private individuals allegedly involved in the scheme were also charged.
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Each accused faces 18 counts of graft for violating Republic Act No. 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Section 3(e), as well as 18 counts of malversation.
According to the Ombudsman, the cases stemmed from three investigation reports submitted by the National Bureau of Investigation in 2018 and 2019 regarding the payment of the right-of-way for 18 parcels of land that allegedly affected the construction of the Digos-Makar National Road in Lagao, General Santos City.
The Ombudsman noted that in 2017, witness Roberto Catapang Jr., who admitted his involvement in the scam, alleged that the accused DPWH officials submitted fake documents in order to collect money from the government as payment.
It added that the DPWH-Soccsksargen technical working group had approved the disbursement of P491.93 million to “claimants that were later found out to have presented falsified documents.”
The Ombudsman noted that investigators uncovered the alleged use of a 2009 appraisal value of P3,500 per square meter to determine compensation for properties taken by the government in the early 1990s, which resulted in inflated right-of-way claims. /ms
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