OWWA exec sacked over 'anomalous' land acquisition deal — Palace

Malacañang said Wednesday that Overseas Workers Welfare Administration deputy administrator Emma Sinclair was also removed from her post over the alleged anomalous land acquisition deal entered into by former OWWA administration Arnell Ignacio.

This was disclosed by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro during a press briefing. 

Castro said Sinclair was sacked from her post due to loss of trust and confidence in relation to the P1.4 billion land acquisition deal.

''Maliban po diyan, mayroon pa pong isa na makakasama, ang deputy [administrator] na si Emma Sinclair, pareho po silang tinanggal. Hindi po sila pinagresign,'' Castro said.

(Aside from [Arnell Ignacio], there is another one, Deputy Administrator Emma Sinclair. Both were fired, they were not asked to resign.)

Castro said this should serve as a warning to all public servants that they will all be fired if they do not fulfill their duties to the public.

Ignacio earlier said he will speak at the proper forum. GMA News Online has reached out to Sinclair for her side but she has yet to reply as of posting time.

The Department of Migrant Workers earlier said it is gathering more information about the anomalous deal, which was supposedly not authorized by the OWWA board, before filing appropriate cases against those involved.

The P1.4-billion land purchase deal under Ignacio’s leadership was supposed to be for a halfway house or dormitory-type accommodation of overseas Filipino workers to be located near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, OWWA administrator Patricia Yvonne "PJ" Caunan.

The DMW is still reviewing whether the project should push through or not, Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News