The Office of the Ombudsman files a plunder complaint against Cagayan Rep. Jojo Lara, alleging that he has ties to construction companies that win government contracts. Ombudsman investigators file the complaint in relation to a reported P1.9 billion in government funds, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla says.
The move follows earlier reporting and investigation into Lara’s links to contractor firms. Rappler reports the inquiry comes about a year after it first covered Lara’s alleged connections to JLL Pulsar, which has reportedly received about P3.7 billion in contracts from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) since 2020, overlapping with the start of Lara’s congressional term. Outlets differ in emphasis, with one focusing on the amount tied to the filed case and the other on the broader contract track record and timing, but both describe the Ombudsman’s probe and filing based on alleged ownership or connections to contractors dealing with government projects.
The case centers on allegations of plunder, and the filing reflects the Ombudsman’s determination to pursue formal charges; no final outcome is stated in the reports.
