Let sacking of Ignacio be a warning, says Palace
The removal of Arnell Ignacio as administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) is President Marcos’ way of warning government officials to shape up or ship out, especially if they have questionable deals, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
At a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro stressed that Ignacio and Owwa Deputy Administrator Emma Sinclair were removed from office and did not resign.
“He (Ignacio) was removed because of anomalies. They were both removed, they were not asked to resign. This is a sign, a reminder from the President to all those working under him to do their jobs and not get involved in anomalies,” she said. “The President will not think twice in removing you from your posts. You will all be fired if you do not fulfill your obligations to the country.”
Ignacio’s removal as Owwa chief came to light last week after the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced the appointment and oathtaking of its undersecretary, Patricia Yvonne Caunan, as the new Owwa administrator.
Performance review
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac revealed that Ignacio, who was first appointed as Owwa chief in 2022, was removed in connection with a P1.4-billion land acquisition deal that did not have the authorization of the Owwa board of trustees.
Days after Ignacio’s removal, Mr. Marcos posted the first episode of his BBM Podcast on Monday and admitted that while he wanted to be regarded with respect, he may have to put on a fiercer or sterner demeanor in dealing with corrupt government officials.
“I’ve been told by many people that I’m too nice. What can I do, be a bad person? I can’t change my personality. But sometimes I think I should be fiercer so that those under me will be more efficient … I want to be respected, but maybe fear is better,” the President said.
He added that government officials will be undergoing a performance review to check if they are hitting their targets or are involved in corruption.
“We’re doing a performance review, so axing people might happen. That’s my warning to them. If they have shortcomings or are corrupt, or if they committed a grave violation, they would face charges,” Mr. Marcos warned.
Ignacio, along with Sinclair, was the subject of a whistleblowers’ complaint addressed to the President himself.
Cacdac earlier said the DMW already began its formal investigation of the land acquisition deal to determine the charges to be filed against those involved in the deal and if the deal will push through or not.
Questionable deal
The P 1.4-billion deal involved the purchase of a 1.5-hectare property beside Ninoy Aquino International Airport in September 2024 that was supposedly for a halfway house for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
However, the property was deemed unsuitable for development due to its proximity to the airport runway.
Whistleblowers from within Owwa claimed that the agency’s board of trustees did not approve the contract to sell, the deed of sale, and the supplemental agreement in connection with the purchase.
The Palace said the letter led to Ignacio’s “immediate removal” from his post.
The whistleblowers alleged that Ignacio and Sinclair fast-tracked the transaction and conspired with the seller and their lawyers to misrepresent tax obligations by passing off the sale of land as a capital gains transaction instead of subjecting it to value-added tax, which allegedly reduced the tax liability by P84 million.
Last week, Caunan gave assurances that the P 2.973-billion Owwa Fund, which comes from contributions of Filipinos working abroad, seafarers, and their employers, remained intact despite the controversial land deal.
The amount was on top of the P3.409-billion allocation for the DMW under the 2025 national budget.
