The Office of the Ombudsman has approved the indictment of former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Arnell Ignacio for usurpation of official functions regarding a ₱1.4-billion property purchase, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) disclosed on Saturday.
According to Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, investigators found probable cause against Ignacio after discovering he had signed the contract to sell, the deed of absolute sale, and an addendum, while also greenlighting the disbursement of public funds without getting the necessary approval from the OWWA Board of Trustees.
“The finding of the Ombudsman is to charge the former administrator with usurpation of official functions under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code,” Cacdac said.
While the Ombudsman cleared Ignacio of graft, malversation, and plunder charges tied to the transaction, the DMW intends to appeal the decision, claiming that critical evidence was overlooked.
“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.”
Among the DMW’s primary concerns is the inclusion of 51 condominium units worth approximately ₱97 million in the deal. The agency discovered that these structures had already been torn down, despite still holding valid government land titles.
“The point here is the government paid for condominium units that no longer exist. That is the damage. That is the prejudicial part to the government,” Cacdac said.
The DMW emphasized that its forthcoming appeal is purely a measure to safeguard taxpayer money and uphold public accountability rather than a targeted attack.
“This is nothing personal to any of the parties. We are duty-bound to file this Motion for Reconsideration,” he added.
Ignacio has not yet released an official statement regarding the Ombudsman’s findings.