Pia warns Palace vs invoking privilege on Yap in scam probe

BY DENNIS GADIL

SEN. Pia Cayetano yesterday warned Malacañang against "suppressing the truth" over the suggestion of one of its spokespersons that it would invoke executive privilege for Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap in connection with the reopening of the Senate probe on the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

"Malacañang should think twice before invoking executive privilege or restraining agriculture officials from appearing and telling the truth just to cover up for Bolante’s grossly incredulous testimony," Cayetano said.

Cayetano said this supposed plot by Malacañang to derail the probe was evident in last week’s statement of deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo to media about the possibility of Malacañang invoking executive privilege to stop officials of the DA from testifying.

Cayetano said Fajardo should be fired for even hinting about invoking executive privilege.

Cayetano said all official documents relating to the fund should also be made available for scrutiny by the Blue Ribbon panel.

"Where else can you see a public official given so much power to disburse millions of government money, but who doesn’t see the need to exercise a shred of responsibility in ensuring how these funds are used or whoever ends up with it?" she said.

Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manuel Roxas II and minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. have asked the Blue Ribbon panel to summon Yap.

Jocelyn "Joc Joc" Bolante, former agriculture undersecretary for finance and tagged as the brains behind the diversion of fertilizer funds to politicians close to President Arroyo, told senators last Thursday that if there was anomaly in the fertilizer program it should have not escaped the attention of the DA undersecretary for operations, who at that time was Yap.

Sen. Benigno Aquino III said Bolante was lying when he claimed that his role was only to disburse funds to regional field units of the DA.

"A memo from then Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo gave Mr. Bolante specific instructions to assess, evaluate and approve all requests for fund assistance under the program. Clearly, this goes beyond the mere disbursement of funds that Mr. Bolante insisted was his sole responsibility at the DA," Aquino said.

Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said DA officials led by Yap are free to share what they know about on the fertilizer scam.

"As of now wala kaming natatanggap na balita na pipigilan siya (Yap). Kung makakatulong si Secretary Yap sa usapin na ito, malaya siyang magsabi o magsalaysay kung meron siyang alam sa isyu na ito," he said. – With Jocelyn Montemayor