PSC payroll padders slapped with multiple charges

The PSC was prompted to rebuild after a payroll padding scheme was exposed. Jess Escaros/PNA (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno 

MANILA--The Department of Justice gave the green light to put the case against three employees of the Philippine Sports Commission under trial.

On Friday, the DOJ, through a 23-page resolution signed by Assistant State Prosecutor Moises Acayan, Sr. Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon, and Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento, slapped multiple counts of qualified theft, attempted qualified theft, cyber-related forgery and computer-related fraud to Paul Ignacio, Michaelle Jones Velarde, and Lymuel Seguilla.

Last July, the PSC caught Ignacio doing some payroll padding by using the names of athletes and coaches not anymore connected to the national team and bring their supposed allowances to his account.

Further investigation made by the National Bureau of Investigation led to the dragging of Velarde and Seguilla to the case.

Through the help of the Office of the Solicitor General and the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the PSC eventually returned the money stolen to the national government.

The payroll scam went full blown that it led to a major rebuild within the PSC.

“It is a regrettable incident, but it compelled us to fast-track upgrades and consider a second look at existing processes,” Chairman Butch Ramirez said.

The Imus Regional Trial Court will handle the case.

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