Lapid camp denies misuse of fertilizer fund

(Updated 3:30 p.m.) Calling it an old issue, the camp of Senator Lito Lapid on Thursday denied that the lawmaker spent the fertilizer fund allocation for Pampanga in 2004, when he was still governor of the province. "Yung issue na ginamit yung fertilizer fund sa eleksyon sa Pampanga... di ganun [ang] nangyari (On the issue that Sen. Lapid used the fertilizer fund for Pampanga in the 2004 senatorial elections, that's not what happened)," Lapid's media relations officer Alex Marcelino told GMA News Online in a phone interview. He issued the statement after the Office of the Ombudsman said it will investigate Lapid and 11 other incumbent congressmen in connection with the P728-million fertlizer fund scam. According to records, Lapid and nine other lawmakers were reportedly allocated P5 million each in fertilizer money. Lapid served as Pampanga governor from June 1995 to June 2004. Marcelino, however, said they have records to prove that Pampanga was not given cash for the fertilizer project. "Hindi cash ang binigay sa Pampanga nun... natanggap nila yung fertilizer nung 2004. Nadeliver nung after the election (They did not give cash to Pampanga, the farmers received fertilizer in 2004. It was delivered after the elections)," he said. "Records from the provincial government of Pampanga will readily show that the procurement process was duly observed considering that the Commission on Audit had no adverse findings with regard to this transaction," Lapid's office added in a statement released later in the day. Impeachment related? Marcelino said that Lapid was probably being just targeted because he will be a judge during the impeachment trial of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. Gutierrez's supposed inaction on the fertilizer fund scam is one of the articles of impeachment that were filed against her. But in a statement, Lapid said he doesn't want to think that he was being accused of anomalies because of his role in the impeachment trial. He likewise said that he welcomes any investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman. "Hayaan na lang natin silang gawin ang imbestigasyon nang patas at parehas (Let's allow them to do their investigation fairly)," he said. Marcelino, for his part, said the senator would not be affected by the issues being hurled at him. "Walang effect yun, independent mind naman si senator. Kung gulty, guilty (That won't have an effect on him, he has an independent mind. If she's guilty, then Sen. Lapid will see her as guilty)," he said. The Senate will convene as an impeachment court on May 9, when Congress resumes session. — RSJ, GMA News