Pabling: Junnie blocked release of fertilizer funds

Former Governor Pablo Garcia denied receiving P5 million in fertilizer funds last year, saying the amount was blocked by then Agriculture Undersecretary Celestino "Junnie" Martinez, Jr. who ran against Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia, who spoke on behalf of his father, said the provincial government never received a single centavo of the amount. Pablo John said Martinez blocked the release of the funds for fear that the Garcias would use it for Gwen's election campaign.

"Sa iyang kahadlok nga gamiton sa kampanya wa niya ipa-release (For fear the Garcias would use the money in the election campaign, he didn't approve of its release)," Pablo John said. He said the governor has her own agriculture program for the province, and that regional director Eduardo Lecciones of the Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas even personally met with the governor to inform about the availability of the fund late last year.

Pablo John dared Anakpawis media liaison officer Glemmar Bacusmo to repeat his accusation that the fertilizer funds were diverted for election campaign.

"I dare them to repeat that accusation nga kanang five million gigamit na sa election kay kanang Anakpawis panington gyud na sa kaso (...that the five million was used to fund the election campaign, Anakpawis will sweat profusely, true to their name, with the case we are going to file)," Pablo John said. - Fred P. Languido