DMW eyes charges vs ex-OWWA chief Ignacio over alleged fund misuse

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is looking into the filing of a case related to the P1.4-billion deal that led to the sacking of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Arnell Ignacio, DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said on Tuesday, May 20.

On the sidelines of a Philippines-Czech Republic Friendship Week event at the DMW headquarters in Mandaluyong, Cacdac said that they know “for sure” that Ignacio was involved in a P1.4-billion land acquisition transaction that bypassed the OWWA Board of Trustees.

Cacdac said that there was a deed of absolute sale, and payments were made.

Last week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed then-DMW undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan as new OWWA administrator, replacing Ignacio. She took her oath before Cacdac on Friday, May 16.

“We are still in the process of digging deeper and finding out more details, looking through documents, talking to personnel inside, why this happened, why there was no notice, whether formal or informal about this transaction — that too needs to be further looked into,” said Cacdac.

The DMW chief did not rule out that other OWWA officials may be involved in the investigation.

Stemming from last year

Cacdac said that he got word of the transaction in late 2024 because of a “white paper” detailing the allegations. The SUN HK reported about a letter obtained from a DMW source, where concerned OWWA employees reported the alleged anomalous transaction to Malacañang, the DMW, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue in November.

Cacdac said on Monday that Ignacio himself brought the matter to his attention, to which Cacdac said he would take a look.

“Sinusuri din natin ‘yung kanyang mga dahilan. But of course, sa pananaw ko, ay kulang ‘yung mga dahilan na ‘yun. Kaya nagreport na ako kay Presidente. And then of course, ito na nga na pinalitan siya. At magkakaroon pa, sabi nga ni Usec Claire [Castro] kahapon, ng mga karampatang kaso na ipa-file,” said Cacdac.

(We are looking into his reasons. But of course, in my opinion, those reasons are not enough, which is why I reported it to the President. Then of course, he has been replaced. And just as Usec Claire said, there will be appropriate cases filed.)

In a Malacañang press briefing on Monday, May 19, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said that an initial investigation found that the OWWA Trust Fund was unaffected.

Ignacio has not issued an official statement on the matter, and has yet to respond to inquiries from Rappler. We will update this story when he responds. – Rappler.com