DMW wants graft complaints vs. ex-OWWA chief Arnell Ignacio revived

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Thursday asked the Office of the Ombudsman to review its dismissal of graft complaints against former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Arnell Ignacio.

While the Ombudsman has filed a charge of usurpation of official functions against Ignacio in relation to an allegedly anomalous P1.4-billion property deal, it dismissed the plunder complaints filed against him.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac filed a motion for reconsideration on July 17 before the Ombudsman.

Ignacio allegedly made a property purchase of what was meant to be a halfway house for overseas Filipino workers who returned home due to emergencies. The DMW said that Ignacio signed a contract to sell, as well as a deed of absolute sale and its addendum—without the approval of the OWWA Board of Trustees.

The DMW’s MR argued that Ignacio, the deputy administrators, as well as the private sellers, are all liable for graft, malversation, and plunder.

The respondents had continued with the sale despite the transaction exceeding the Land Bank of the Philippines' appraisal by P198,000,000. The DMW said that this resulted in direct, quantifiable, and undue injury to the government and an unwarranted pecuniary benefit to the private parties.

The DMW also said that the private respondents got unwarranted benefits from the swift processing of the transaction in 2024, with check payment dated August 30 being released to the sellers on September 11, despite the deed of absolute sale being executed on September 12.

It also argued that the respondents committed plunder when they allowed the condominium units to be demolished, thereby causing undue injury to the government.

“At least P97 million of government resources were plundered because the 51 condominium units paid for by the National Government are nowhere to be found,” Cacdac said. — Jean Mangaluz/BM, GMA News