Raps filed vs. irrigation regional manager over appointment of kin to NIA

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed charges against a regional manager of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) over the alleged appointment of his relatives to one of the offices under the government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) in 2009 and 2010.

Charged with four counts of nepotism were NIA Region VII manager Modesto Membreve; former NIA Region X manager Julius Maquiling; and Olimpio Galagala Jr., head of the Engineering, Operations and Maintenance Section and also concurrent head of the Bohol Provincial Irrigation Office, which is under the NIA Region VII.

In the charge sheets filed with the Sandiganbayan, the Ombudsman said that Galagala and Maquiling, in an alleged conspiracy with Membreve, "willfully, unlawfully and criminally" detailed three relatives of Membreve to the various offices under NIA Region VII, which he himself leads.

The relatives and their appointment offices and years include:

• daughter Hannah Grace Membreve (Bohol Provincial Irrigation Office, 2009 and 2010)
• daughter Maria Heddah Hilot (Bohol Irrigation Office, 2010)
• son-in-law Ronaldo Hilot (Bohol Irrigation System/Project, 2010)

A total of P8,000 bail has been recommended for each respondent's temporary liberty — P2,000 for each count of charge. — MDM, GMA News