Ombudsman suspends admiral, 10 others for fund mess

The Ombudsman has suspended for six months an admiral and 10 other Philippine Navy officials for the alleged anomalous disbursement of public funds and dubious procurement of medical supplies. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, in a 10-page ruling, placed on preventive suspension without pay 11 Navy officials led by Rear Admiral Constantino Jardiniano, all belonging to the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) based at Naval Station San Miguel in San Antonio, Zambales. Jardiniano is commander of the NETC, an attached Navy command. Other suspended officials include Lieutenant Commander Manuel Gimena, commanding officer of the headquarters support command; Victoria Buhia; Lt. junior grade Daniel Labrador, procurement officer; Ensign Annaleen Magdaraog; Rosemarie Siquinia, supply accounting officer; Skc Edmundo Baluca, MFO inspector; Lt. Joel Tamayo, chief of pre-Audit; and Staff Sergeant G.M. Labaguis, supply PO. Gutierrez directed Armed Forces chief General Hermogenes Esperon to immediately implement the suspension. The case stemmed from a letter sent to the Ombudsman by a group called the "Concerned Officers and Men of NETC Zambales" that denounced the alleged irregular and anomalous conduct of Jardiniano. An investigation made by the OMB-Military and Law Enforcement Offices (OMB-Moleo) showed “that respondents conspired and confederated in making the above-mentioned transactions and liquidations." Discrepancies were cited in the liquidation of cash advances in 2005 and 2006. It was discovered that in 2005, respondent Gimena received more than P4,334,052.67 in cash advances. But, another respondent, Buhia, reported that the liquidated amount was over P4,812,439.67, or a discrepancy of P478,837. It was also discovered that the documents submitted in support of the liquidation were spurious. In 2006, there was again an unliquidated amount of P512,587.20. The OMB-Moleo investigating panel also found that the liquidations of cash advances were supported by spurious official receipts, cash/sales invoices and that there were no attached supporting documents. The panel further noted that proceeds of encashed checks were received by either Jardiniano or Magdaraog. It also found out that that the medicines bought by NETC from Calman Trading, Farmacia Callo, R.T. Franco Pharmacy and F.R. Estrada Pharmacy were not delivered to Naval Station San Miguel (NSSM) Hospital. The NETC also contracted Farmacia Pascasio to make a delivery to the NSSM Dental Dispensary but which too did not arrive. The panel stated in the complaint that the “respondents conspired with one another….to make it appear that the medicines were delivered when in truth and in fact they were not." -GMANews.TV