Former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Chief Arnell Ignacio has asserted in a statement today that the P1.4-billion land acquisition deal now under investigation was years in the making and backed by proper documentation 

In a statement on Friday, Ignacio said the land purchase was not a ‘last-minute’ decision, but a project initiated as early as 2018. He added that the acquisition went through standard procedures including a review by OWWA’s technical working group and the agency’s governing board. 

Ignacio also stated that the land’s valuation was conducted by the Land Bank of the Philippines, which. The release of a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) also indicated, according to Ignacio, the necessary government approvals were in place. 

“This was not a rushed deal. It was reviewed by the board and the technical team. Everything was in place,” the former OWWA administrator said. 

However, in a statement by Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac last Tuesday, he confirmed that an investigation is still ongoing into what the department suspects may be an anomalous transaction. 

Cacdac revealed that Ignacio brought the matter to his attention around October 2024, remarking that the issue would inevitably be known by the DMW secretary. 

Ignacio was replaced by then-DMW Undersecretary for Policy and International Cooperation Patricia Yvonne Caunan. 

Further developments are anticipated in the days ahead.