SND Orders Intensified Drive Against Fixers
Guided by the Matuwid na Daan platform of governance of President Benigno C. Aquino III, Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin ordered the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) to intensify its campaign against fraud and fixing that deprive genuine veterans and their legitimate beneficiaries of their benefits from the State.
PVAO Administrator Ernesto G. Carolina thus stepped-up the anti-fixing drive and led the crackdown against fraud and fixing syndicate groups operating within Camp Gen. Emilio Aquinaldo.
It will be recalled that during PVAO's founding anniversary last September wherein the SND was the guest of honor, Sec. Gazmin lauded the accomplishments of PVAO's Anti-Fraud Section - Legal Affairs Division (LAD) which successfully acted upon 226 cases against fixers and fraudsters.
"Your creation and operation of PVAO's Anti-Fraud and Anti-Fixers Task Force in coordination with intelligence and law enforcement agencies have resulted in the arrests of fixers and fraudulent claimants, and their subsequent prosecution in our courts of law. I am also aware of the legal assistance and services made available by PVAO's Legal Affairs Division to our pensioners who were victimized by fixers. You have really done a great help to your veterans, from the documentation of evidences, and building of strong cases against the perpetrators until the litigation of their cases in court," Sec. Gazmin said.
Administrator Carolina said that out of the 226 fraud and claims fixing cases being referred to by Sec. Gazmin, 45 cases have been filed in court and are now in varying stages of prosecution. Ten of these cases were filed during the PVAO anniversary, coincidentally timing with the Defense Secretary's visit. The offenders who were caught red-handed in a series of entrapment operations were jailed outright. "We are set to file more cases in court as there are 89 more cases undergoing investigation, collection of evidence and completion of documentation. In addition, PVAO also handles 31 cases awaiting complete documentation aside from the 19 cases which require official status reports from our partner agencies," Administrator Carolina disclosed.
During weekly flag ceremony, the Administrator tirelessly exhorts the management, employees, clientele and stakeholders of PVAO in fighting the ills of fraud and fixing that deprive the legitimate veterans and their dependents of State-administered benefits. He underscored that fixers cannot and will not thrive in a hostile environment and enjoined employees to ostracize those among their ranks who engage in fixing activities and continue to besmirch the reputation of the agency.
Relatedly, he instructed Atty. Rolando D. Villaflor, LAD Chief, to sustain the momentum gained by the anti-fraud & anti-fixer drive by encouraging more whistleblowers to report employees who engage in fixing and file all applicable charges against them. He also ordered the review of 46 cases that are considered closed either due to lack of cause of action, failure of complainants to appear, or archived due to insufficiency of evidence. He also reminded PVAO claimants to refrain from conniving with fixers & fraudsters as this may cause the termination of their benefits.
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