DA chief included in plunder rap

Former solicitor general Frank Chavez amended yesterday his plunder complaint against President Arroyo before the Ombudsman to include Agriculture Secretary Luis "Cito" Lorenzo as an accessory to the alleged diversion of P728 million in agricultural funds.

"Secretary Lorenzo has a lot of explaining to do. He might not have something to do with this, but he knew what was going on in his office," he said.

But Malacañang was unimpressed by Chavez’s latest move.

"We will respond to the summons or whatever actions the Ombudsman will undertake," said deputy presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo. "We do not respond to the call of Mr. Chavez."

Chavez said he amended his complaint because of the paper trail he claimed to have uncovered linking a Lorenzo subordinate to the questionable fund release.

He mentioned the name of Agricultural Undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, who was purported to have advised local officials on the availability of the "farm input" funds.

"Why does Bolante demand that these project proponents coordinate with him prior to the release of the allocation? Why does he even suggest how these funds should be used and offer his assistance in implementing the project?" Chavez said in his 17-page complaint.

Even more damaging is a claim by Chavez linking Bolante to First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, whom Chavez accuses of pocketing 25 percent or P142 million of the diverted funds.

The claim drew a sharp response from the camp of the now reclusive Mr. Arroyo.

"Attorney Frank Chavez should be man enough to accept the fact that no amount of grandstanding or publicity stunt can change the reality that he has lost in the Senate polls," said lawyer Jess Santos, calling the accusations a "malicious hallucination against Mr. Arroyo." — With Marichu Villanueva