Tupas: Fertilizer scam raps vs execs won't affect impeach case

The graft charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against three Sorsogon officials over the P728-million fertilizer fund scam will not affect the impeachment case against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, a lawmaker said on Friday. Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., head of the House prosecution team, said the impeachment case is about Gutierrez’s "delayed" probe on the alleged involvement of high-ranking agriculture officials in the scam and not the accountability of some local officials. Gutierrez has been impeached and is scheduled to face trial at the Senate for her alleged inaction in the fertilizer fund scam and four other high-profile cases. [See: House impeaches Merci for betrayal of public trust] "The gross negligence of the Ombudsman is with respect to the delayed investigation and the non-filing of information against high-ranking officials despite recommendations in the two Senate reports involving the fertilizer scam," Tupas told GMA News Online in a text message Friday. He added that the impeachment case is about the Ombudsman’s failure to prosecute former Agriculture chief Luis "Cito" Lorenzo Jr. and Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc Joc" Bolante seven years after fertilizer fund complaints were filed before the office. The Ombudsman filed two graft indictments before the Sandiganbayan on April 7 against Sorsogon Gov. Raul Lee, provincial accountant Raul Hernandez and provincial treasurer Ofelia Velasco. The three were charged for allegedly authorizing the purchase of overpriced liquid fertilizers from supplier Fenshan Philippines, Inc. The case involved P728 million fund allotted for the purchase of fertilizers for farmers in the country. The three officials allegedly caused undue injury to the government for approving the purchase of 2,133 liters of Bio Nature Liquid Fertilizer for P1,500 per liter from supplier Fenshan Philippines, Inc even though it only costs P180 per liter in the market. The graft raps filed against the three Sorsogon officials were the first charges filed concerning the fertilizer fund scam even though the case was first brought to the Office of the Ombudsman in 2004. However, the amount was allegedly diverted to the election campaign fund of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. — RSJ/VVP, GMA News