Malacanang said on Wednesday it expects the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate sacked officials of the state-run Nayong Pilipino Foundation for entering into a $1.5-billion contract, which was allegedly grossly disadvantageous to the government.

In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that those involved in the alleged "flawed" $1.5 billion contract for the Nayon Landing theme park project that the NPF entered into with a Chinese-owned company would be reviewed by the Department of Justice.

"Now we expect that the new Ombudsman...to immediately investigate and file charges against them," he said in a radio interview.

He said the charges could be plunder or violation of the anti-graft law.

"The president has ordered the review of the contract to Secretary Menardo Guevarra of DOJ (Department of Justice)," he said.

Roque said there was an information that there was no public bidding for the project, which was awarded to Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp.

Roque announced on Tuesday all the members of the board of trustees and the management of NPF were fired for initially allowing the contractor to lease the government property for a period of 70 years.

The announcement was made almost simultaneously with the groundbreaking of the theme park in Paranaque City. Celerina Monte/DMS