Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. ARCHIVE

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stressed that no one will be spared from the ongoing investigation into the P1.4-billion land purchase by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), describing it as a “matter of accountability and public trust.” “Nobody is exempted or safe from this investigation. We will go as deep as we can, and as broad and wide as we can in terms of who are culpable in this particular transaction,” Cacdac said at the DMW head office in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday (May 20). The land acquisition, located near Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Parañaque City, was allegedly carried out under former OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio without full authorization. The purchase was intended for a halfway house for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Cacdac pointed to multiple possible violations, including the absence of approval from the OWWA Board of Trustees. “We have submitted an initial report to the Office of the President. But... we could further dig deeper and look into the transaction. So, just afford us a bit more time to do so,” he added. Malacañang earlier said initial findings showed that the trust fund remains untouched, and there is no indication it was used in the transaction. The DMW has launched its own investigation despite already submitting initial findings to Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Cacdac said that the current OWWA leadership under newly appointed Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan provides a fresh opportunity to dig deeper into the deal. “We are still in the process of digging deeper and finding out more details, looking through documents, talking to personnel inside bakit ito nangyari, wala man lang abiso o anuman (why did this happen, there was no notice or anything),” Cacdac said. Caunan has initiated an internal audit and has been instructed to safeguard the OWWA Trust Fund, which is sourced from OFW contributions and government allocations. ICA/Expat Media ALSO READ: DMW repatriates Filipino stranded in UAE over blood money debt
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