DOJ indicts ex-PSC employees over alleged payroll padding

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved the filing of criminal charges against three former employees of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) who were involved in alleged "payroll padding", the PSC said Friday.

The PSC said prosecutors found probable cause to file charges against Paul Ignacio, Michaelle Jones, Velarde and Lymuel Seguilla for qualified theft, attempted qualified theft, cyber-related forgery and computer-related fraud

Ignacio, who used to prepare the payroll for the PSC, was arrested in July last year on allegations that he had credited at least P14.4 million in athletes and coaches’ allowances to his own bank account. 

The PSC said that investigation revealed that two more employees were working with Ignacio.

The commission said it sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Office of the Solicitor General, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council to ensure the funds are returned to the government.

Last July 15, the NBI said it had found that Ignacio had embezzled over P14.4 million from August 2015 to May 2020.

The bureau said agents also found that Ignacio had included the names of three unqualified coaches and three unqualified athletes in the June 2020 payroll, with P450,150 to be credited into his own account.

The NBI said the case stemmed from a request from the PSC for assistance in the investigation of "unusual payroll transactions" credited to Ignacio's account.

The PSC said the cases were recommended to be filed in the Imus, Cavite Regional Trial Court. -NB, GMA News