In two separate decisions, the Office of the Ombudsman has found former Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, it said in a statement on Monday.

The Ombudsman meted the penalty of dismissal from the service against Alcala but due to respondent’s separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s salary for one year.

In the first case, Alcala was found liable for the misuse of P13.5 million for the construction of the Quezon Corn Trading and Processing Center (Center). Records showed that on September 17 2012, the Isa Akong Magsasaka Foundation Inc. applied for an accreditation with the DA “in order to be part of the project implementation that will help the farmers in Quezon Province.”

In the second case, the Ombudsman found Alcala liable for illegally allowing the DA to resort to the alternative method of repeat order despite the agency’s failure to comply with the requirements under the Government Procurement Reform Act. DMS