Philippines - Officials dismissed on graft cases

PRESIDENT GLORIA Macapagal-Arroyo has sacked a Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) assistant regional director and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial director for graft and corruption. She also suspended five other officials, including an assistant secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), for less serious offenses upon the recommendation of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC). "

The President has dismissed DAR Bicol region assistant director Louise Cynthia Matza and DTI Sorsogon Provincial Director Leah Pagao. We found them guilty and President Arroyo has approved of our recommendation to have them dismissed," PAGC Chairman Constancia de Guzman said. The President also suspended NAPC assistant secretary Dolores de Quiros-Castillo; Commission on Higher Education Region 10 director Eloisa Paderanga; Bureau of Corrections director Joselito Fajardo; Department of Interior and Local Government director Rodolfo Feraren; and Bureau of Internal Revenue director Alfredo Vasquez Misajon. Ms. de Guzman said the latest incident brought to 134 the number of sanctioned officials.