DMW to appeal to Ombudsman ruling on P1.4B land deal

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will ask the Office of the Ombudsman to reconsider its ruling dismissing the department’s graft and plunder complaint against former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) administrator Arnell Ignacio and others over a P1.4 billion land deal.

“What we plan to do is to file a motion for reconsideration because in our view, the resolution did not pass upon details that we submitted to the honorable Office of the Ombudsman,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a briefing.

“So we wish, we wish for the good office of the honorable Office of the Ombudsman to review these matters,” he added.

In the resolution, Cacdac said the Ombudsman found Ignacio liable for usurpation of official functions for approving the land deal under the pretense of possessing the OWWA Board of Trustees Authority.

Meanwhile, he said the Ombudsman dismissed a complaint for graft, malversation of public funds, and plunder.

Cacdac argued that there was undue advantage to the seller.

“One is, hindi dumaan sa Board. Okay, undue haste. Mindali, hindi dumaan sa owwa board, pinaburan ‘yung seller in the process para bumilis ‘yung proseso. Hindi kailangan dumaan sa scrutiny,” he said.

(One is that it did not go through the Board. Okay, there was undue haste. It was rushed and did not go through the OWWA Board, favoring the seller in the process to speed things up. It did not have to undergo scrutiny.)

“We wish for the honorable Office of the Ombudsman to take a second look,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said that the resolution did not mention the 51 condominium units worth P97 million that were part of the deal.

“When the deed of sale was signed, and the payment was supposedly received by the seller, nagkaroon bigla ng titulo ito in about a month’s time. ‘Yung 51 condominium units, condominium titles, in the name of the Republic of the Philippines through OWWA,” he said.

Upon visiting the site, Cacdac said there were no condominium units found.

“The government paid for condominium units that no longer exist. That’s the damage. That’s the prejudicial part to the government,” he said.

In May 2025, Ignacio was removed from his post due to a loss of trust and confidence. He maintained the transaction was aboveboard and presented to the OWWA Board. —LDF, GMA News