Even the dead got fertilizers, COA reports

[explorer]

COA: Bolante expanded fund list

April 09, 2006
Updated 01:20am (Mla time)
Philip C. Tubeza
Inquirer

FORMER Agriculture Secretary Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante added names to the list of recipients of the P728-million fertilizer fund that had not been included in the original list drawn up by the Department of Budget and Management, according to the final Commission on Audit report on the fund scandal.

The COA said the list of proponents that was attached to the budget department’s Special Allotment Release Order (Saro) for the P728 million was different from the list in the eventual allocation of the funds.

Moreover, some proponents also received more of the funds than originally allocated to them under the DBM list, the report said.

The COA’s final audit report, dated March 31, 2006 and submitted to the Senate last week, said the fertilizer bought with the P728-million fund had been overpriced by 682 percent, or by P128 million.

The report said the Saro for P728 million was released by the DBM to the Department of Agriculture accompanied by Annex A containing the list of approved recipients.

The records showed, however, that Bolante approved the issuance of an “advice of sub-allotments and notices of transfer allocations” to DA regional field units listing allocations that did not gibe with the original list, the report said.

A table accompanying the final COA report listed the fertilizer recipients that were not in the DBM list.

They included two Metro Manila congressmen (for a total of P8 million), three congressmen and a mayor in the Ilocos region (P11.5 million), two governors in Cagayan Valley (P10 million) and a P5 million allocation for Pampanga that did not have a named proponent.

The table also named at least 26 “proponents” who were included in the DBM list but did not receive fertilizer funds. They included former Batanes Rep. Florencio Abad and Tarlac Rep. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Many lawmakers had complained that they were included in the list of proponents that Bolante had submitted to the DBM although they were never consulted or informed that their districts would be receiving fertilizer funds.

The COA table also listed six lawmakers who received additional funds of P13 million.

“The amounts indicated in the name of the proponents were over and above their original allocations in Annex A of the Saro in question,” the COA report said.

It implied that some of the projects for which the fertilizer funds were to be used already had allocations in the 2004 national budget under the lawmakers’ pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund.

“The (local government units) had, likewise, separate appropriations for their own development projects,” the report said.

At the House, the committee on agriculture and food yesterday called on the Ombudsman’s office to speed up its investigation into the alleged fertilizer scam and hold accountable all those found responsible.

Now that the COA has submitted its report to the antigraft body, it was time the legal process began, said Lanao del Sur Rep. Benasing Macarambon, the committee chair.

Macarambon said the House would cooperate in the Ombudsman’s probe and expressed confidence the investigation would vindicate the administration congressmen who were unfairly dragged into the controversy to allegedly malign the House and President Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Only a thorough investigation by an independent body like the Ombudsman will put an end to this issue. The fertilizer fund scam has hounded the nation like a ghastly ghost and it’s time the Ombudsman determines who should be held liable. Let the axe fall where it may,” said Macarambon.

Isabela Rep. Edwin Uy, a committee vice chair, said the COA report could provide the Ombudsman with additional leads for the prosecution of those involved in the scam.

“The fertilizer fund issue has long been exploited by the opposition to promote their poll fraud allegations against the President,” Uy said.

“We cannot allow them to continue riding on this issue to discredit the President and her innocent allies in the House, hence an immediate resolution by the Ombudsman is imperative,” he said.

[jv20]

fertilizers for the dead and for the unknown? that is why..

The fertilizer fund issue has long been pursued by the opposition to promote their poll fraud allegations against the President.

[j_avonni]

The SOBs behind this scam should themselves, be turned into fertilizer.

The plants would die.

[niky]

Not surprising.

And while the opposition do have a vested interest in the case, the fact that there's a case at all is very damning for the First Couple.

Errh... "innocent allies"? There are actually innocent Congresspeople? Wow!