Ghost Employees = Corruption

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PNP ghost pensioners robbed govt of P1B, says Robredo
ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMA News
09/01/2011 | 08:42 PM
(Updated 11:18 p.m.) "Ghost" pensioners in the Philippine National Police (PNP) robbed the government of around P1 billion in the last five years, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said Thursday.

Since 2006, the PNP spent between P200 million and P250 million a year on dead employees and on persons who are not even in the police force, Robredo said.

"Napakarami nila. May mga pangalan diyan na sabi namin, kung sisiyasatin natin, hindi talaga sila dapat na binibigyan (ng pension)," he said at a press briefing at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which supervises the PNP, was able to identify 2,000 “ghost" pensioners in two weeks of investigation, he added.

Robredo also ordered that the release of monthly pensions be deferred so that the list of pensioners can be further cleansed.

“Ngayon po, pinagtutugma pa ‘yung pinaka-database ng kapulisan kung sino ho ‘yung dapat nagretiro na at sino ho binbibigyan ng retirement. Makikita kung sino ho ang hindi dapat bigyan," he said.

'Big syndicate' behind bogus employees

The DILG chief further said he suspects that a “big syndicate" was behind the bogus employees. He particularly identified one Marlon Reyes, a former policeman, as the supposed leader of the syndicate.

“Eto ho ang pinagdududahan na puno’t dulo nung kalakaran, subalit naniniwala kami na hindi ho pwede na siya lang. May iba pang kasama, kasi ito po napakalaking sindikato," Robredo said.

He refused to link any former PNP official in the anomaly, saying it is better to wait for the full report on the irregularities, which he said will be released in two weeks.

"Tingnan natin kung ano ‘yung datos na lalabas. Kung kailangan ihinto ulit (ang pension), ihihinto uli," he said.

'Anomalous' vehicle repairs

Meanwhile, the DILG on Thursday also named 30 more officers and personnel, including retired police comptroller Eliseo dela Paz, who will face a probe for alleged anomalies in the repair of light armored vehicles in 2007.

Robredo said he has ordered the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to investigate and possibly charge at least 36 police officers and civilians who may have had a hand in the supposed anomaly.

“Ang kailangan imbestigahan, umpisa sa chief PNP hanggang doon sa logistics support services. Maliban po dito, syempre medyo malaki po ‘yung indication na mayroong collusion [with the bidders]," Robredo said.

The DILG secretary’s revelations come at a time when other PNP officials are involved in the allegedly anomalous sale of helicopters to the Philippines’ police force.

The CIDG last week said it will file criminal and administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against PNP personnel involved in the chopper mess. — PE/KBK/VS, GMA News