Agri regional execs give Bolante the lie

BY JP LOPEZ

REGIONAL directors of the Department of Agriculture yesterday denied claims by former DA undersecretary for finance Jocelyn "Joc Joc" Bolante that they were responsible for the implementation of the 2004 Ginintuang Masaganang Ani program.

Region 11 director Roger Chio told the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the P728 million fertilizer fund scam that it was the first time that the department would authorize a release of P3 million for the "farm-inputs, farm-implement" program.

He said regional offices were authorized to release only P1 million and that he had to seek an authority from Bolante for the release of the amount.

Chio produced a letter signed by Bolante authorizing him to purchase P3 million worth of liquid fertilizer, which was confirmed fit only for use in ornamental plants and orchids but not to boost the production of rice and corn.

"Your honor, kasi meron tayong memorandum of order from the Department of Agriculture, authorizing all the regional directors up to one million. If it is over one million, pino-forward na namin sa central office for their approval," Chio told Sen. Francis Escudero.

"Do you have documentary proof to show that indeed Bolante requested for such a purchase?" asked Escudero.

Chio noted that the purchase request for foliar fertilizer amounting to P3 million was signed by Bolante, again belying Bolante’s claims that he never prescribed where the amount would go.

Chio said that in his more than 10 years in the DA, it was the first time that such a huge amount was released for the program.

"It was not a regular program," Chio said.

This was echoed by Leo Cañeda of Region 8.

"Mr. Chairman, I can vouch for (Chio’s) statement. Considering the humongous amount involved, this is the first time ever that we have undertaken this kind of project in the region," he said.

Director Ricardo Oblena of Region 7 said Bolante instructed him to change the intended beneficiary of the fertilizer fund in Kalibo, Aklan to the non-governmental National Organization for Agricultural Enhancement and Productivity Inc.

In a letter dated June 29, 2003, Oblena wrote Kalibo Mayor Raymar Rebaldo to inform him that the fertilizer fund supposedly intended for the local government would be given instead to an NGO.

Although the letter did not name the NGO, Oblena told the committee that Bolante called him with instructions to make the National Organization for Agricultural Enhancement and Productivity Inc. the beneficiary of the funds originally intended for Kalibo.

"Wala pong iba kundi si undersecretary Bolante," said Oblena when asked by Sen. Panfilo Lacson who instructed him to change the beneficiary.

Bolante denied giving any instructions to Oblena.

He also denied making any phone calls to Oblena. "I never talked to him over the phone. I did not give instruction to favor any NGO…" he said eliciting cynical applause from the gallery.

Oblena said he and Bolante communicated by landline, but said Bolante gave him a cell phone number that he has since erased.

Earlier, Lacson produced a copy of a letter from Oblena to Rebaldo, asking him to change some of the terms in the agreement.

In that notice, Oblena, then regional director, requested the mayor to specify in the memorandum of agreement the National Organization for Agricultural Enhancement and Productivity Inc. as the proponent NGO.

When asked by Lacson if this was part of the instruction from the DA central office in Metro Manila, Oblena said: "It’s part of the instructions."

Rebaldo said he was given a "pro forma (prepared)" copy of the MOA to sign.

"Kawawang probinsya ang Aklan, waiting for instructions from the central office (na magdidikta ng) NGO, dito ninyo i-release pondo, dito ninyo pa-MOA LGUs," Lacson said.

The Commission on Audit also affirmed that while Bolante was correct in saying that the P728 million has been fully accounted for, their audit showed it was anomalously spent.

COA director Flerida Jimenez reiterated earlier findings that there were "so much irregularities" in the project which was supposedly intended to assist farmers but which administration critics say ended up with the diversion of the multi-million fund to the 2004 campaign kitty of President Arroyo.

Bolante admitted that there were some irregularities in the implementation of the program but insisted "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," Bolante said.

Other resource persons in yesterday’s hearing were Bolante’s former chief of staff and agriculture assistant secretary Ibarra Poliquit, who purportedly requested the transfer of some P115 million of the funds in Regions IV, V, and VII; regional directors Cipriano Santiago, Gumersindo Lasam, Redentor Gatus, Abelardo Bragas, Antonio Gerundio, Jose Daya, Larry Nacionales, Ricardo Oblena; and directors Oscar Parawan, Lealyn Ramos, Abusama Alid, Ricardo Regis and Cesar Rodriguez.

The Senate opted to allow Bolante to stay in his home at least until Friday despite the motion of Lacson and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada that he should be detained for "telling one lie after another."

Majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the proposal to hold in contempt and subsequently order Bolante’s detention in the Senate was not decided during the caucus to allow the 17-member Blue Ribbon panel to deliberate on the matter.

He said the proposal would be voted upon by the members after Friday’s scheduled hearing of the panel.

Zubiri said the proponents will have to cite specific contemptuous instances "before he (Bolante) can be cited for contempt."

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said he has cautioned the Blue Ribbon panel to go easy on the contempt order and conduct further study on the motion.

"They’re studying it. If they decide (to cite Bolante in contempt), it’s their prerogative," Enrile said.

Lacson moved for Bolante’s detention within the Senate premises after noting that the former government official had been evasive throughout his grilling Tuesday morning.

"Lahat na sagot whether intentional or not, maraming hindi totoo. Before I end my first round, ang dami niyang evasiveness, ang daming hindi pagiging makatotohanan, hindi truthful. I’d like to move he be held within the Senate premises until such time he stops from becoming evasive to the questions of committee members," he said.

Estrada, who grilled Bolante on his bank accounts, seconded the motion.

Estrada said Bolante has maintained or is maintaining 70 bank accounts in at least five banks, namely the now defunct Prudential Bank, the Bank of Philippine Islands, Union Bank, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. and Standard Chartered Bank.

He said the bank accounts were either directly under his name or under joint or "combo" accounts.

Estrada said Bolante, according to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), has also bank accounts in "various countries."

"I have just a few accounts and I would request that I may be allowed not to disclose because of the bank secrecy law," Bolante appealed to the Senate panel.

He said the bank accounts mentioned were all inactive or closed accounts dating back to 1978.

Bolante said he has now only four bank accounts contrary to the information of the AMLC. He said these were opened by the Government Service Insurance System where he served as a trustee, another one with LiveCorp when he headed it and with two foundations where he is a member.

Estrada said AMLC records showed that most of the bank accounts were opened only in 2004, which was an election year.

The senator moved to summon the officials of the AMLC and the banks mentioned in the next hearing.

Estrada noted the frequent travels abroad of Bolante in 2004, which took him to Australia in July 2004, Japan in September, and finally, in the United States in October of the same year.

He said Bolante also went to Hong Kong in November of 2004, to Bangkok on December 7 before proceeding to Switzerland.

Estrada said Bolante also made trips to Europe and spent some time in the US particularly in Los Angeles.

Bolante said his foreign travels were for his export-import business and for his duties as a member of Rotary International.

Estrada said Bolante’s passport would bear out all his foreign travels, which he moved should be subpoenaed.

But Bolante said his passport went missing during his "chaotic" return at the NAIA early this month. – With Dennis Gadil