Senate summons ‘Palace link’ to fertilizer fund case

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate body probing the fertilizer fund scandal has issued a subpoena against a person who has alleged connections to Malacañang. Senator Richard J. Gordon, chairman of the committee on accountability of public officers and investigations (Blue Ribbon), said Monday he has signed a subpoena against Jimmy Paule, the purported bagman in the questioned P728-million fertilizer fund scandal in 2004. Appearing before the committee on Nov. 28, Jose B. Barredo, Jr., who negotiated for the fertilizer contract in Regions 3 and 6, said Mr. Paule was Maritess Aytona’s direct link to Malacañang. He said he was recruited by Ms. Aytona, owner of Feshan Philippines, Inc., which supplied the alleged overpriced and diluted fertilizers. Ms. Aytona, whose company cornered the project, has direct link with former Agriculture undersecretary for finance Jocelyn “Joc Joc" I. Bolante, as testified to by Mr. Barredo. Mr. Barredo affirmed an earlier testimony that 30% of the fertilizer fund went to project proponents and 70% to the fertilizer. He said he was not an employee of Feshan and was only tasked by Ms. Aytona to negotiate with local government units. Mr. Paule’s name had been floated during the chamber’s investigation headed by then Senator Ramon “Jun" B. Magsaysay, Jr. as one of the alleged runners of First Gentleman Jose Miguel T. Arroyo. “[Mr.] Paule appears to be the financier of a fertilizer distributor who has alleged ties to Malacañang. He may know a lot about this. He appears to be the financier," said Mr. Gordon. Mr. Gordon has tasked the Senate sergeant-at-arms and the National Bureau of Investigation to locate Mr. Paule. “We just want to find out who are the other parties involved in this controversy," he said in a mobile phone interview. Meanwhile, Mr. Gordon said Ms. Aytona will attend the next hearing on Dec. 8. — Bernard U. Allauigan, BusinessWorld