Six DA officials axed over fund misuse

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales axed at least six Department of Agriculture (DA) officials in connection with the misuse of Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The officials, who belong to the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit 7 (Central Visayas), include: Regional Executive Director Larry Nacionales, Accountant III Candelaria Martinez, Officer-in-Charge Mira Talabong, Accounting Section Chief Mae Nones, and Monitoring Staff Roger Salcedo. They were fired after being found guilty of gross misconduct in connection with the anomalous implementation of agricultural projects in the fourth district of Negros Occidental funded by Estrada’s PDAF.