Gordon ‘confused’ on what to do with ‘Joc Joc’ probe

BY DENNIS GADIL

SEN. Richard Gordon, touted as the next chairman of the powerful Blue Ribbon committee, is "confused" on what to do with the ongoing Senate probe on the P728 million fertilizer fund scam.

"Nalilito na nga ako kung ano’ng dapat gawin," said Gordon.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has said in a radio interview that he has picked Gordon to replace Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. The new assignment for committee chairmanships will be formalized in today’s plenary session.

Gordon stressed the committee report by former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., chair of the agriculture panel, and Sen. Joker Arroyo, Blue Ribbon chair, was strong enough to warrant the prosecution of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc Joc" Bolante and other public officials tagged in the fund scandal.

"Matindi na ang committee report nila Senators Magsaysay at Joker," he said.

He stressed because of this, he felt there is nothing more to probe on the matter.

Gordon said there are pending graft charges against Bolante at the Office of the Ombudsman.

But Gordon nevertheless said he will resume the hearings as scheduled Tuesday.

"Itutuloy ko pa rin pag malinaw na ako na (chair) sa Tuesday," he said.

Gordon said he initially asked Cayetano to handle the hearing while the Blue Ribbon is being reorganized but Cayetano declined.

Gordon promised an independent Blue Ribbon committee.

He rejected the label of being pro-administration saying he was never an apologist for Malacañang or its defender.

"Pag tama si GMA, kakampihan ko siya. Pag di tama, lalabanan ko siya," he said.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, an administration ally, had called for an end to the fertilizer probe, stressing that other government agencies are already working on the prosecution of the people involved, including Bolante.

Nueva Ecija Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson Sunday said he is willing to clear his name before the senators amid reports he received fertilizer funds.

Joson said he was offered liquid fertilizer through the provincial agriculture office before the 2004 elections but he refused.

But after the 2004 elections, he said he was again offered P5 million fund by the DA which he accepted this time to procure two tractor trucks. "Hindi binanggit ni provincial agriculturist Serafin Santos kung yun pa rin yun tinanggihan ko noong una, but I never received funds for fertilizer," Joson said. – With Jojo de Guzman