Aquino Cabinet members Abad, Singson placed on BI’s lookout bulletin

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has instructed Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel to be on the lookout for 43 people, including former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, linked to an P8.7-billion scam involving fake road right-of-way claims in General Santos City.

Dated November 24, the immigration lookout bulletin order also listed members of the syndicate such as Wilma Mamburam, a certain Col. Chino Mamburam, Merceditas Dumlao and Nelson Ti, the group's alleged financier and a "close friend" of former President Benigno Aquino III.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) does not bar a person on the lookout bulletin from leaving the country but he or she has to get clearance from the agency in order to travel.  

Aguirre earlier ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the scam that was divulged by a male witness who said the syndicate's modus operandi was to claim compensation for road right of way (RROW) intended for rightful owners who were affected by the construction of a national highway in General Santos City.

He said the members of the syndicate would submit fake titles in the name of non-existent persons and then secure payment using fake land titles.

Aguirre said the syndicate was able to process over 300 RROW claims including one amounting to P29 million.

The witness said the group also conspired with several public officials to carry out the criminal acts, including those from the DPWH, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the City Assessor’s Office of General Santos, the Registry of Deeds, the Commission on Audit and some Regional Trial Courts.

These offices, according to Aguirre’s witness, allegedly “participated in the processing, approval and eventual release of these dubious claims.”

Citing signatures in the documents submitted to the NBI and sworn affidavit of the DOJ witness, Aguirre said Abad apparently approved the release of payment for illegal RROW claims as requested by Singson.

Abad called the accusation "baseless" while Singson refused to make any comment.

The DOJ has since placed the man, who is allegedly involved in the scam, under the Witness Protection Protection. —NB, GMA News