Gov. Pacquiao faces graft, plunder raps over P167M contracts

Sarangani Governor Rogelio Pacquiao is facing graft and plunder charges after the Office of the Ombudsman received a formal complaint on Wednesday. The case stems from alleged irregularities in government procurement contracts totaling over P167 million.

The charges are related to the controversial purchase of heavy equipment, including four Komatsu D65EX-16 bulldozers valued at P119.99 million, hydraulic excavators worth P47.99 million, and 145 units of Honda XRM motorcycles, each priced at P99,950.

John Chiong, a representative of Task Force Kasanag (TFK), a civil society watchdog group, filed the complaint. Chiong said the investigation began after the group received a tip-off from a concerned citizen in January 2025. TFK’s legal team subsequently gathered documentary evidence pointing to questionable procurement practices and alleged overpricing.

“Upon going through the letter, in the last part of Page 2 and on Page 3, numerous anomalous transactions were raised,” Chiong noted in his formal complaint. He emphasized that the procurement lacked a full-blown feasibility study and pointed out pricing irregularities, particularly regarding the motorcycle units.

The complaint accuses Governor Pacquiao of using his position to facilitate the illegal transactions, in violation of Republic Act No. 7080 or the Plunder Law. It alleges that the total value of the ill-gotten wealth exceeds ₱50 million — the threshold for a plunder charge — and asserts that the governor unjustly enriched himself at the expense of the government.

Task Force Kasanag has been operating for over 13 years and claims to have filed nearly 300 corruption-related cases against public officials before the Ombudsman. The group describes itself as a “force multiplier” in the government’s fight against corruption, drugs, crime, and terrorism.

As of press time, Governor Pacquiao has not issued any statement regarding the allegations.