New post for sacked AFP disburser

From the Manila Standard Today (Oct 20): New post for sacked AFP disburser

One of the four officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Medical Center sacked for alleged irregular purchase of P80 million worth of medical supplies without the benefit of public bidding was  reassigned to another “lucrative” position in the same agency, according to documents.

Lt. Col. Florencio Ritchie I. Capulong III was designated as “Head, Secretariat” of the AFPMC’s Technical Working Group, the documents showed.

Capulong’s  new designation took effect on October 15, 2014 and was signed 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 on the same day his termination order as Special Disbursing Officer was issued.

His new job would enable him to review projects and to decide which projects his group would endorse to his superiors, a military source said.

His designation, the source said, posed a  telling blow to reforms being pursued by AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. who had  promised to reassign  officials involved in the purchase deal so they would not influence the ongoing investigation.

Capulong was removed from his post as Special Disbursing Officer because of a complaint filed by a certain Renato Villafuerte before the Office of the Ombudsman urging Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to investigate the alleged corruption at the AFPMC.

Catapang also placed under “floating” status former AFPMC commander Brig. Gen. Normando T. Sta. Ana Jr.; Col. Rogelio S. Del Rio, former Acting Chief of Staff for Logistics; and Maj. Neil D. Bugarin, former Management and Fiscal Office chief.

The document also showed that  Lt. Col. Raymund C. Elpedes was named as replacement for   del Rio as logistics head and Lt. Col. Achilles R. Estravilla as finance chief. Their designations also took effect on October 15.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, said he has yet to verify if  Capulong’s new designation.

“If ever, that might be illegal. But I won’t comment for now because I’ve not seen yet a copy of the designation,” Cabunoc said.

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

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 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.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/10/20/new-post-for-sacked-afp-disburser/