DND to file cases vs former officials of Veterans Federation of the Philippines

June 2, 2018

The Department of National Defense (DND) will file cases against the former officials of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) for insubordination and gross disregard of a Supreme Court ruling which upheld the DND's control over the veterans group.

In a DND statement on Friday, the new VFP officers were inducted last May 28 but the former officials resisted.

Defense Undersecretaries Reynaldo Mapagu and  Ernesto Carolina, administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office who were ordered by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to carry out his orders, were met with resistance by VFP employees who were ordered by former head Bonifacio de Gracia to lock the gates and set-up barricades.

The defense officials entered the VFP premises with the help from the Office of the Solicitor General and members of the Philippine National Police.

De Gracia, according to security officers at the scene, left at a backdoor and alighted aboard a VFP ambulance after locking himself up in the office.

Inducted by Lorenzana as acting president was former Sandiganbayan Justice Manuel Pamaran at the DND on May 28.

Those who took their oath as temporary officials of VFP were Raul Urgello as executive vice president, Leopoldo Amar as vice-president for administration, Salvador Esguerra as vice president for operations, and Gilbert Baladhay, vice-president for finance.

The assumption to post of the new officers is in accordance with Department Order Numbers 184 and 193 signed by  Lorenzana on May 24 and 30.

The orders declared vacant the key management positions in the VFP, terminated hold-over positions, and ordered former officers to cease and desist from further performing the functions and responsibilities of their respective former positions.

Charges to be filed vs De Gracia will be conduct prejudicial to the interest of the veterans, acts contrary to several department orders and letter directives, insubordination, and gross disregard of the decision of the Supreme Court which upheld the SND’s authority over VFP, the DND statement said.

Lorenzana also ordered De Gracia investigated in connection with the corruption complaint filed by Reynaldo Ocampo, secretary general of the VFP Sons and Daughters Association, Inc. , regarding the issue of “Kamag-anak Corporation” against the VFP management, alleging hiring of a number of consultants and staff who are related to management members by blood or affinity – all without Civil Service eligibility.

Those employees are said to be receiving unauthorized Representation and Transportation Allowance  and honorarium per management meetings on top of their salaries which are way above the prescribed rate per Government Salary Standardization Law, the DND statement said. DMS