Arnell Ignacio dismissed as OWWA administrator over anomalies in P1.4 billion land deal acquisition
Television personality Arnell Ignacio has been dismissed as administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration over anomalies in the P1.4 billion worth of land deal acquisition.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed his dismissal on Wednesday, May 21, saying, “Si former OWWA administrator Arnell Ignacio, hindi po siya nag-resign, siya po ay tinanggal dahil sa mga anomalyang nabanggit.”
According to Castro, Ignacio and OWWA deputy director Emma Sinclair, who was also removed from the post, were sacked due to "loss of trust" over anomalies in the land transaction deal for the supposed dormitory-type accommodation for Overseas Filipino Workers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1. According to the Department of Migrant Workers, the said transaction was not authorized by the OWWA board, which is a direct violation of the provisions of the OWWA Charter.
“There is not even a notice or anything formal or informal about this transaction. That too needs to be further looked into. We are still at that stage. It will take some time to come out with the necessary conclusions,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.
This was echoed by Patricia Yvonne Caunan, who was recently appointed to replace Ignacio.
"It says there that the power to purchase a real property...the approval should be with the Board of Trustees of OWWA, and the Chairman of the Board is the Secretary of DMW, the Vice Chair is the OWWA Administrator. So the regular process or what is expected, is that purchases should go through the Board of Trustees," Caunan said.
Cacdac said that the agreement was made last September 2022.
"Merong pera na lumabas mula sa kaban ng bayan. P1.4 billion nailipat na ang titulo, nalaman na lang namin nung nilipat na 'yung titulo pangalan ng Republic of the Philippines," he said in his interview with 24 Oras on May 19.
He added that they are now looking for more information about the anomalous deal.
Meanwhile, Castro said that the recent dismissals serve as a warning to government officials to uphold integrity in their posts.
“Ito ay panawagan ng Pangulo sa lahat ng mga nagtratrabaho sa ilalim niya na gampanan ninyo ang inyong trabaho, tanggalin ang panloloko o lokohan sa inyong pagtratrabaho dahil hindi po mangingimi ang Pangulong tanggalin kayo sa pwesto,” Castro said.
Ignacio was appointed as OWWA chief in 2022. Per the reports, he will face the media soon to address the allegations.
PhilSTAR L!fe has reached out to Arnell Ignacio for a comment but has yet to receive a response.
