FORMER Caloocan City mayor Reynaldo Malonzo yesterday filed criminal complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against Caloocan City Rep. Oscar Malapitan and six co-respondents in connection to alleged anomalous releases of the lawmaker’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations amounting to P8 million from 2007 to 2009.
Also named in the complaint were former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Esperanza Cabral, former undersecretary Mateo Montaño, assistant secretary Vilma Cabrera, DSWD Program Management Bureau director Pacita Sarino, chief accountant Leonila Hayahay, and private respondent Cenon Mayor, president of the Kaloocan Assistance Council Inc. (KACI), a non-government organization (NGO).
Malonzo accused them of multiple violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and malversation of public funds.
The complainant said the respondents were responsible for the transfer of Malapitan’s PDAF to KACI even if the NGO was not eligible to receive public funds, noting that it was “not a licensed and accredited PO” (people’s organization).
He pointed out that based on the 2022 audit of the DSWD, the amounts released to KACI remain unliquidated.
Malapitan was accused of favoring the NGO “by endorsing and personally identifying KACI” to implement his PDAF-funded projects.
“Respondent Malapitan, a public officer who had control of his PDAF funds, which were public funds, misappropriated or consented or, through abandonment or negligence, permitted another person to take them,” Malonzo said.
On the other hand, he charged Cabral and the other DSWD executives with conspiracy to illegally transfer public funds to KACI even if had unliquidated cash advances dating back to 2006 and 2007.