Agriculture officials deny Bolante’s claim over funds
11/26/2008 | 03:07 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Officials the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday belied before a Senate hearing claims that a former undersecretary had no hand in the implementation and distribution of a multi-million-peso fertilizer fund.
Roger C. Chio, Region 11 executive director, denied before the Blue Ribbon committee former Agriculture undersecretary for finance Jocelyn "Joc Joc" I. Bolante’s claim of having no direct supervision and authority over the implementation of the program.
In his testimony last week, Mr. Bolante said the regional directors — not himself — had a direct hand on the execution of the P728-million farm inputs-farm implements program under the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (Golden Abundant Harvest).
Noting that the program was not a regular item in the DA contrary to Mr. Bolante’s claim, Mr. Chio said they were only allowed to approve a proposal of up to P1 million, contrary to the P3-million purchase request signed by Mr. Bolante.
Leo P. Cañeda, Region 8 executive director, said it was the first time that the department undertook the program in his region. "There was no corresponding program design or guidelines."
Senators suspected that the program was designed to boost the campaign of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 2004 elections. They learned during the hearing that Mr. Bolante, after resigning from the DA in August 2004, was transferred to the Government Service Insurance System as trustee until August 2005 with a monthly stipend of P200,000.
Mr. Cañeda described the program as "abnormal" and "extraordinary."
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Ibarra Trinidad C. Poliquit, Mr. Bolante’s former chief-of-staff, said Mr. Bolante was designated by then Secretary Luis "Cito" P. Lorenzo, Jr. to undertake the program, but Mr. Poliquit denied having knowledge if irregularity.
The regional directors said Mr. Bolante had influenced the choice of a single nongovernmental organization (NGO) to act as project beneficiary instead of the local government units.
Ricardo Oblena, Region 7 executive director, said it was "no other than the undersecretary" who had phoned him in June 2004, two months after 2,000 bottled liquid fertilizers were delivered, to rename the beneficiary to National Organization for Agricultural Enhancement and Productivity, Inc.
Mr. Bolante denied the allegations, saying he did not favor any organization.
Other regional directors said they based the NGO choice from a memorandum issued by the DA central office in Manila, which was signed by Mr. Bolante.
They added they were given a pro forma memorandum of agreement with the NGO.
While insisting that the whole project was not a scandal, Mr. Bolante admitted there could have been "some irregularities."
"There was no scam. The project itself wasn’t a scam. There could be some irregularities, one or two, or three or four. But that doesn’t make the whole project a scam," he said.
Flerida A. Jimenez, Commission on Audit director III for the corporate government sector, affirmed earlier findings of irregularities.
Senators Alan Peter S. Cayetano, Panfilo M. Lacson, Richard J. Gordon and Jose "Jinggoy" E. Estrada took turns at castigating Mr. Bolante, who appeared to have evaded their questions.
Citing findings of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Mr. Estrada said Mr. Bolante had 70 bank accounts, 23 of which were registered under his name, which could have been used as repository of the fertilizer funds.
Mr. Bolante said seven were in the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), 12 in Prudential Bank (absorbed by BPI), one in Union Bank of the Philippines, two in Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. and one in Standard Chartered Bank, adding only five accounts were remaining and 18 were either dissolved or closed.
The committee approved a proposal to summon concerned bank managers for the next hearing on Friday. — BusinessWorld
Roger C. Chio, Region 11 executive director, denied before the Blue Ribbon committee former Agriculture undersecretary for finance Jocelyn "Joc Joc" I. Bolante’s claim of having no direct supervision and authority over the implementation of the program.
In his testimony last week, Mr. Bolante said the regional directors — not himself — had a direct hand on the execution of the P728-million farm inputs-farm implements program under the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (Golden Abundant Harvest).
Noting that the program was not a regular item in the DA contrary to Mr. Bolante’s claim, Mr. Chio said they were only allowed to approve a proposal of up to P1 million, contrary to the P3-million purchase request signed by Mr. Bolante.
Leo P. Cañeda, Region 8 executive director, said it was the first time that the department undertook the program in his region. "There was no corresponding program design or guidelines."
Senators suspected that the program was designed to boost the campaign of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 2004 elections. They learned during the hearing that Mr. Bolante, after resigning from the DA in August 2004, was transferred to the Government Service Insurance System as trustee until August 2005 with a monthly stipend of P200,000.
Mr. Cañeda described the program as "abnormal" and "extraordinary."
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Ibarra Trinidad C. Poliquit, Mr. Bolante’s former chief-of-staff, said Mr. Bolante was designated by then Secretary Luis "Cito" P. Lorenzo, Jr. to undertake the program, but Mr. Poliquit denied having knowledge if irregularity.
The regional directors said Mr. Bolante had influenced the choice of a single nongovernmental organization (NGO) to act as project beneficiary instead of the local government units.
Ricardo Oblena, Region 7 executive director, said it was "no other than the undersecretary" who had phoned him in June 2004, two months after 2,000 bottled liquid fertilizers were delivered, to rename the beneficiary to National Organization for Agricultural Enhancement and Productivity, Inc.
Mr. Bolante denied the allegations, saying he did not favor any organization.
Other regional directors said they based the NGO choice from a memorandum issued by the DA central office in Manila, which was signed by Mr. Bolante.
They added they were given a pro forma memorandum of agreement with the NGO.
While insisting that the whole project was not a scandal, Mr. Bolante admitted there could have been "some irregularities."
"There was no scam. The project itself wasn’t a scam. There could be some irregularities, one or two, or three or four. But that doesn’t make the whole project a scam," he said.
Flerida A. Jimenez, Commission on Audit director III for the corporate government sector, affirmed earlier findings of irregularities.
Senators Alan Peter S. Cayetano, Panfilo M. Lacson, Richard J. Gordon and Jose "Jinggoy" E. Estrada took turns at castigating Mr. Bolante, who appeared to have evaded their questions.
Citing findings of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Mr. Estrada said Mr. Bolante had 70 bank accounts, 23 of which were registered under his name, which could have been used as repository of the fertilizer funds.
Mr. Bolante said seven were in the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), 12 in Prudential Bank (absorbed by BPI), one in Union Bank of the Philippines, two in Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. and one in Standard Chartered Bank, adding only five accounts were remaining and 18 were either dissolved or closed.
The committee approved a proposal to summon concerned bank managers for the next hearing on Friday. — BusinessWorld
