TV host-turned-public official Arnell Ignacio has been officially removed from his post as administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) due to an allegedly anomalous P1.4-billion land acquisition deal, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed on Friday, May 16, that Ignacio was not resigned, but replaced on the grounds of “loss of trust and confidence”. The reason: a land purchase deal supposedly entered into without the approval of OWWA’s Board of Trustees.
“Former administrator Ignacio did not resign from office. He was removed and replaced… due to an anomalous ₱1.4-billion land acquisition deal that did not go through the OWWA Board of Trustees on at least six counts,” Cacdac told GMA News Online.
Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne “PJ” Caunan, who has served as DMW’s chief of Policy and International Cooperation, was sworn in as the new OWWA administrator the same day. She brings with her a wealth of experience, including leading 15 bilateral labor agreements since 2022 with countries like Canada, Austria, and Saudi Arabia.
“Alam kong napakarami pa nating kailangang gawin. Naniniwala ako na kailangan natin ng isang OWWA, isang DMW, at isang gobyerno para sa OFW,” Caunan said in her oath-taking speech.
In a Saturday News Forum, Caunan confirmed that the deal is under investigation. She assured the public that her leadership will carry out a full audit, seek legal guidance from the Department of Justice, and coordinate with the Commission on Audit (COA).
She clarified that the P1.4 billion in question did not come from the OWWA Trust Fund, which is primarily made up of contributions from OFWs and their employers.
“It’s with the government budget, the GAA. So intact ‘yung pera nung trust fund… Hindi ito trust fund para wala na parang paninisi, diretsuhin ko na,” she clarified, emphasizing that the OFW fund is “sacred” and must be protected.
Ignacio, who was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022, expressed shock over the development and said he would respond to the allegations in the proper forum. He previously served as deputy administrator under President Rodrigo Duterte from 2018 to 2019.
“I will address the matter in a proper forum,” he told reporters via phone, declining to give a statement for now.
Secretary Cacdac also confirmed that President Marcos has been briefed on the issue and that appropriate charges may be filed depending on the outcome of the probe. When asked if other officials were under investigation, Caunan said that the inquiry is still ongoing.
The questioned deal, signed in September 2024, was reportedly intended to secure property near NAIA Terminal 1 for a halfway house for OFWs — but failed to pass through proper channels, violating internal protocols as per OWWA law.
As the case unfolds, stakeholders and OFWs alike await further updates on both the investigation and any potential legal consequences for the ousted OWWA chief.
