Datumanong, et al air side over alleged misuse of P3.8-M

COTABATO CITY - FORMER Maguindanao Representative Simeon Datumanong today reiterated he has not endorsed any contractor to undertake projects funded with his Priority Development Assistance Program (PDAF).Atty. Kenny Tantuico, a former senior legislative staff of Datumanong, said the former congressman's signature was forged.Tantuico said the letter request made evidence in the complaint did not even come from Datumanong's office.Datumanong himself also reacted to news story he, and several others from the NCMF were ordered charged by the Ombudsman over the misuse of ?3.8-million pork barrel funds in 2012.The indictment stemmed from the lawmaker’s alleged request to course the funds through Maharlika Lipi Foundation, Inc. (MLFI), as the partner non-government organization for livelihood projects in the municipalities of Mamasapano, Ampatuan and Datu Abdullah Sangki.But Datumanong said he does not normally give notes to anyone or office to give favorable treatment to a contractor. I have not done that (giving note to a contractor) in all my 50 years in government service, and the Ombudsman can check on facts in my records. Because if I'm used to giving notes, then I would have been indicted for bigger amounts as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of Justice, said Datumanong, who headed both agencies in the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.The 81-year old former official said his signature may have been forged by people behind the MLFI, who were apparently escaped the pressure of the preliminary investigation.He said he could not even understand as to why an implementing agency would purportedly waive the public bidding process, as a basic requirement by law in government procurement of goods and services, just because of an unverified note. Datumanong said he did not know the MLFI, the non-government organization he allegedly gave note to, and which the Ombudsman said was extended' extraordinary accommodation by NCMF officials when they examined, processed and approved the PDAF releases.Datumanong felt the Ombudsman's resolution came on the 11th hour of the preparation of year-end accomplishment report.Fedelina Aldanese, NCMF acting chief accountant, said she has been working for the Muslim agency for more than 40 years, but this was the first time she was charged for alleged anomaly. I'm proud to have sent my children to college, one of them to PMA (Philippine Military Academy) out of sheer hard work here since 1982, with Muslims and Christian employees and officials, who are like brothers and sisters to me, working for the Muslims, Aldenese said.But Datumanong added he was not dismissing politics as possibly behind it, since he and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman once spearheaded a Supreme Court petition to block Executive Order No. 1 the first decree of the Aquino administration.The SC upheld Datumanong and Lagman in their 2010 petition against the constitutionality of Aquino's creation of a super anti-graft probe body, whose mandates, they argued, were a duplication of the constitutional powers of the Ombudsman.