Former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration administrator Arnell Ignacio on Friday defended the P1.4 billion land deal that cost him his position, saying it went through all the required processes.
He said discussions on the project started as early as 2018 when he was still OWWA deputy administrator.
“We followed all the requirements and this was upheld. We were given a Special Allotment Release Order and the process continued until the land was acquired,” Ignacio said in a press briefing yesterday.
“We brought this to the board as part of the OWWA report. It was scrutinized by the technical working group former by our chairman, (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac,” he added.
He said he was surprised it was now being portrayed as an anomalous deal.
“This is a project na we can consider a legacy project for our OFWs,” he said.
Earlier, President Marcos appointed Migrant Workers Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan as the new OWWA administrator, replacing Ignacio.
OWWA Deputy Director Emma Sinclair was also sacked for her role in the land deal.
