Malampaya funds used in 'ghost projects,' solon confirms
from a report by Jay Ruiz, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 07/16/2013 10:18 PM | Updated as of 07/16/2013 10:18 PM
MANILA - A congressman has confirmed that Malampaya funds intended for farmer beneficiaries in his district ended up in ghost projects, amid the ongoing scandal on the alleged scam that defrauded government of billions of pesos.
Rep. Ben Evardone is claiming that P10 million from the Malampaya fund went to fake projects and beneficiaries in 2009.
The money was supposed to benefit farmes from two Eastern Samar towns.
"Tumawag mga mayors sa akin, walang project, walang beneficiaries," he said.
Meanwhile, another whistleblower has also spoken on the issue.
The new witness is a former employee of Janet Lim Napoles, the businesswoman at the center of the controversy.
Merlina Sunas claims that the P900-million Malampaya fund intended for farmers across the country went to bogus non-government organizations set up by napoles.
"Wala talagang matatanggap iyan. Dokumento ginawang pera. Ghost lahat iyan, zero sa magsasaka," she said.
Sunas said signatures of the mayors and fund beneficiaries were forged in the documents of the agrarian reform department in 2009.
"Kami ng mga emplayado ang sumulat sa mga request letters kunwari kami mga mayors," she said.
Farmers from Masantol, Pampanga have also complained they got nothing from the P7.5 million fund requested by the Kaupdanan para sa Mangunuguma Foundation -- another fake NGO supposedly set up by Napoles.
Evardone is now seeking an audit of the Malampaya funds.
The Ombudsman has also created a special team to look into the alleged pork barrel scam.
The team will conduct a parralel investigation in coordination with the NBI.
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