From: abs-cbnnews.com
The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed a graft case against
former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo over the alleged misuse of funds of
the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
The Ombudsman said there is no sufficient evidence to warrant
plunder or graft charges against Mrs. Arroyo.
A complaint had been filed by former Solicitor General Frank
Chavez with the Department of Justice (DOJ), accusing Arroyo of misusing and
diverting over P540 million of OWWA funds in 2003.
Chavez had claimed that the funds were used to finance election
expenses in the 2004 presidential elections.
Lawyer Raul Lambino, legal spokesman of Mrs. Arroyo, said the
Ombudsman’s decision is clear proof that the case was mere political
harassment.
Montri Santos, Arroyo's lawyer for the OWWA, said that in
January, they had heard rumors that the DOJ panel had recommended instead of plunder a
lesser offense of technical malversation.
“We never really received any resolution. It was only October 18
we received altogether true enough the January resolution by the DOJ
investigating panel recommending only technical malversation.
“We also received two resolutions from the Ombudsman, one dated
February 10 2012, the other one Sept. 2012. The two disapproved recommendations
to file technical malversation and completely dismissed all of the cases. These
are things na hindi nabalita." ###
No comments:
Post a Comment