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Milagros Macaraig, Ombudsman-Mindanao graft investigator and prosecution officer ll, issued the decision against Alid, Southwestern Mindanao agriculture director, on February 10, 2006 but it was only on October 1, 2007 when Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez endorsed Macaraig’s recommendation.
The case stemmed from the complaint of Parido Pigkaulan, legal officer III of the Agriculture regional office, whom Alid fired a few years ago.
Alid received the Ombudsman’s order last November 19. He said he has filed a motion for reconsideration on the falsificati on complaint,.
The complaint was lodged against Alid and Frisco Malabanan, chief science research specialist of the Philippine Rice Research Institute and concurrently director of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani rice program of the Agriculture department, on Alid’s travel to Manila in 2004. The amount involved was P10,496. On April 21, 2005, the Ombudsman Mindanao dismissed the complaint but the complainant filed a motion for reconsideration which led to the February 10, 2006 resolution recommending the filing of falsification of public documents.
The Ombudsman noted the existence of a probable cause to warrant the indictment of Alid for falsification of public documents – a Philippine Airlines ticket; and his post travel report. Alid denied he falsified public documents. “This accusation was intended to malign my reputation,” he said, adding he has a witness who could attest that the plane ticket was not altered when it was submitted to the accounting department of the regional Agriculture office. He said that department workers angry at him “may have distorted the plane ticket to cast me in a bad light.” Alid said he sacked Pigkaulan, the complainant, sometime after he was appointed acting regional director in 2004. Pigkaulan could not be reached for comment. (MindaNews)
