SC affirms junking of charges vs Arroyo over 2004 misuse of OWWA funds



By: Perfecto Raymundo, Philippine News Agency
Reuters file photo of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines  -- The Supreme Court has affirmed the Office of the Ombudsman's dismissal of the criminal charges filed by former Solicitor General Francisco I. Chavez against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, et al. in connection with the alleged misuse of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration funds in 2004.
In a two-page minute resolution dated Jan. 17, 2013, the SC's Third Division denied the petition and upheld the Feb. 10, 2012 memorandum and Sept. 25, 2012 supplemental memorandum of the Ombudsman for petitioner Chavez's failure to show any reversible error committed by the Ombudsman.
The SC agreed with the Ombudsman in dismissing the complaint against Arroyo, et al., holding the transfer of OWWA funds to Philhealth is valid, and the OWWA funds were used legally.
"Unless tainted with grave abuse of discretion, the judgments and orders of the Ombudsman shall not be reversed, modified or otherwise interfered with by the Court," the resolution said.
In his petition for review on certiorari, Chavez sought the reversal of the assailed Ombudsman rulings approving the resolution of a Dept. of Justice Panel of Investigators that recommended the dismissal of malversation charges against Arroyo for the alleged illegal transfer of P530,382,445 in OWWA Medicare Fund to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and of the US$ 350,000 from the OWWA Capital Fund to several labor attachés in the Middle East during the United States-Iraq crisis. 

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