Ombudsman gives Bolante 10 days to file counter-affidavit

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday gave former Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante 10 days to file his counter-affidavit on the P728-million fertilizer fund mess. In an interview on dzBB radio, Assistant Ombudsman Jose de Jesus Jr said the order was given to Bolante at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City, where the former government official was brought following his arrival in the country Tuesday evening. "Kung di siya sumagot ituturing namin wine-waive niya ang karapatang sagutin ang kaso laban sa kanya (If he does not answer, we will consider him to have waived his right to reply)," de Jesus said. De Jesus said he was told by the serving officers that the order was personally received by Bolante, adding that they expect Bolante to submit his counter-affidavit in the next 10 days. "Ang aking balita tinanggap niya personally (From what I learned, he personally accepted the order)," de Jesus said. Earlier, de Jesus fended off accusations that his group sat on Bolante's case for failing to complete its preliminary investigation on the fertilizer fund scam two years since it was filed before the Ombudsman. De Jesus said the case covered all 17 regions in the Philippines and that there were too many respondents involved, including two incumbent governors and four congressmen. Earlier in the day, de Jesus vowed to complete the preliminary investigation on the fertilizer scam within 90 days, which he said was enough time to observe due process. "Ito pong aming preliminary investigation ay may tinakdang 90 araw para tapusin ito at [para] magkaroon ng pagkakataaon [na] matupad namin ang ating due process (We will finish our preliminary investigation in 90 days, as due process dictates)," de Jesus said. Bolante allegedly engineered the diversion of funds allotted for the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani program to Presidential Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s campaign kitty in 2004. After two years in detention in the United States, he returned to the Philippines Tuesday night. Immediately upon arrival, he was whisked to the St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City where he remains under hospital arrest. - GMANews.TV