Angry AFP chief orders sacked hospital officials to report to him

From InterAksyon (Oct 21): Angry AFP chief orders sacked hospital officials to report to him

Angered by a report that the sacked commander of the AFP Medical Center was still reporting for duty and another one was even designated to a new position, Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. ordered them to report to him at his office at the General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

"They're already relieved from their positions and yet they continue to report for work to their former positions. The Chief of Staff, Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., has ordered them all to report GHQ as soon as possible," Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, chief of the Public Affairs Office (PAO) of the AFP, said Tuesday.

On Monday, a document showed that one of the four hospital officials sacked for alleged corruption in the purchase of P80 million worth of medical supplies without public bidding was designated to a new position.

In the document, a copy of which was obtained by Interaksyon.com, showed the designation of Lt. Col. Florencio Ritchie I. Capulong III as Head Secretariat of the AFPMC's Technical Working Group.

His designation was seen as a serious blow to reforms being advocated by Catapang, who had earlier said he relieved the officials involved so they will not influence the ongoing investigation.

Capulong was sacked from his position as Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) because of a complaint filed by a Renato Villafuerte before the Office of the Ombudsman urging Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to investigate corruption at the AFPMC.

Also sacked by Catapang was former AFPMC commander Brig. Gen. Normando T. Sta. Ana Jr.; Col. Rogelio S. Del Rio, former Acting Chief of Staff for Logistics, MC4; and Maj. Neil D. Bugarin, former Management and Fiscal Office chief.

Reports said that Sta. Ana continued to report for work even after he was sacked "but he was not signing official documents."

In the document, the date of effectivity of the designation of Capulong to his new position was on October 15, 2014. The order was issued by acting AFPMC commander Col. Benedicto Jovellanos and Sta. Ana's chief of staff, Col. Fernando M. Reboja.

Capulong was designated to his new position the same day his termination order as Special Disbursing Officer was issued and became effective.

Unfortunately, Capulong was among awardees of the 2014 The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS) given by Metrobank Foundation Inc.

The award is given to exemplary soldiers in the service.

Based on Villafuerte’s complaint, Capulong made a cash advance of P40 million to procure medicines even if funds were not yet available. The scheme is a form of realignment of funds under their discretion.

"The scheme employed by these government officers should be stopped.
Documents of cash advance are in possession of [the] Management and Fiscal Office for funding and some are still in the possession of [the Special Disbursing Officer]," Villafuerte said in his complaint.

In the same document, Lt. Col. Raymund C. Elpedes was designated MC4 and Lt. Col. Achilles R. Estravilla as MFO chief. Their date of designations was also October 15.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/97667/angry-afp-chief-orders-sacked-hospital-officials-to-report-to-him