NBI seizes PSC employee behind P14M payroll scam

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) finally captured the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) employee who was behind the payroll-padding scam.

Identified as Paul Michael Padua Ignacio, the PSC employee is assigned under the Personnel Department who is tasked to prepare the payroll of the allowances of the prized national athletes and coaches.

Based on NBI’s investigation, Ignacio faked the registered payrolls of the national athletes and coaches and funneled the money to his own bank account.

Aside from funneling the athletes’ and coaches’ money to his own bank account, Ignacio also added unqualified and random persons on the register that also received the money coming from the PSC funds.

The PSC employee violated Article 310 related to Article 309 (qualified theft) through violation of Article 172 in relation to Article 171 (falsification of public documents) and violating the Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

NBI personnel confirmed that Ignacio’s misdirected amount from the PSC racked up to 14, 448, 254 million pesos from August 2015 to May 2020.

“We are thankful for the speedy action of the NBI. We are just waiting for the result of their inquest. Ever since dumating kami sa PSC, ‘yun ang kabilin-bilinan ni President Duterte na linisin ang PSC,” said PSC commissioner and OIC Ramon Fernandez.