The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines—Concerned citizens filed a graft complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday against former undersecretary Adrian Bersamin of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office and former Education undersecretary Trygve Olaivar in connection with what the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said appeared to be a "commitment-insertion-kickback" scheme. The complainants—which included David San Juan, initiator of the Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot, and Bayan Chairman Teodoro Casiño—cited, among others, budget deliberations of the Senate and affidavits of former Public Works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo. They accused Bersamin and Olaivar of "corrupt practices" prohibited by the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and "violation of standards of personal conduct in the discharge and execution of official duties." The complainants said they watched a video posted late last year by Zaldy Co, a former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, who in November 2025 alleged that there was an order from President Marcos to insert P100 billion in the 2025 General Appropriations Act. The Palace said Co's accusations were baseless. Bersamin resigned in the same month. Co resigned in September 2025 as a member of the House of Representatives after he was embroiled in a massive flood control bribery scandal. Co denied wrongdoing however, and said he was resigning because of "the real, direct, grave and imminent threat to the lives of my family members and me, and the evident denial of my right to due process of law.” Olaivar, who resigned in November 2025, also denied Bernardo’s allegations. Based on the complaint, Bernardo alleged in an affidavit that Olaivar in 2024 called him for a meeting to discuss unprogrammed appropriations. Bernardo said that in the meeting, Olaivar asked him to submit a list of projects. According to the affidavit, Bernardo later submitted a list to Olaivar. "Usec. Olaivar told me that the commitment is 15 percent," he said.
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