The Office of the Ombudsman orders the preventive suspension of DICT undersecretary for e-government David Almirol Jr. over alleged conflicts of interest connected to government contracts. Multiple outlets report the suspension is for six months without pay, and is intended to prevent potential prejudice to an ongoing investigation.
The allegations stem from internal scrutiny within the DICT, including findings cited as originating from a June 2025 DICT Internal Audit Unit report. That review flagged possible conflicts relating to hiring former Multisys personnel and to contracts awarded to other related companies.
Outlets largely align on the identity of the official involved, the preventive-suspension nature of the action, and the approximate value of the disputed contracts. Differences in emphasis include the reported contract totals (ranging roughly from P1.5 billion to around P1.55 billion) and the specific conflict scenarios highlighted, such as divestment failure versus related-party hiring and contracting.
