Ombudsman forms task force in DA fund scam

The Office of the Ombudsman has started investigating the P728-million fertilizer fund scam and is ready to file criminal and administrative charges against governors, mayors and other elected officials found to be involved in the misuse of government funds.

Private individuals found to have connived with public officials in perpetrating the fraud will also face criminal charges.

Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. wants former agriculture assistant secretary Ibarra Poliquit, a right-hand man of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, summoned to the Senate to testify on the P728-million fertilizer scam.

"If we cannot have Bolante at this time, then Mr. Poliquit can be the most appropriate resource person," he said.

Magsaysay said Poliquit, now Government Service Insurance System vice president for risk management, served as Bolante’s chief of staff from February 2001 until he resigned from the Department of Agriculture.

Magsaysay said he is preparing a letter to ask permission from President Arroyo to allow Poliquit, who holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education, to attend the Senate hearings.

Assistant Ombudsman Evelyn Baliton told reporters yesterday they had formed a 10-member task force to look deeper into the case.

The Office of the Ombudsman began its investigation into the scam as early as last November, she added.

Baliton said the task force would be focusing on cases with a solid paper trail that are corroborated by the sworn statements of witnesses.

"The probe will take a long time," she said. "To expedite the probe, the task force will be focusing on the cases that are almost complete as soon as we get the (Senate’s) report. We will start with the filing of the criminal charges."

Baliton said the investigation could reach as high as Malacañang, if the task force could establish a solid link between Mrs. Arroyo and the fraud.

"If it reaches there, we will also recommend the filing of impeachment proceedings (against the President)," she said.

Baliton said the task force would be working closely with the Senate committee on food and agriculture to gather data as well as validating the affidavits of witnesses.

Baliton said Bolante could be slapped with charges of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act as well as technical malversation should it be proven that he was involved in the misuse of government funds.

In calling for a Senate investigation of the scam, Magsaysay invoked the "right of the people to information on matters of public concern," despite calls from some members of the House of Representatives to stop the inquiry.

Some lawmakers have accused senators of violating inter-chamber courtesy because a number of them from the House have been linked to the fraud.

Magsaysay said updated reports from the Commission on Audit have established the significant role of Poliquit in the management of the fertilizer funds.

Records showed that Poliquit signed a number of requests for the fertilizer funds that were all approved by Bolante.

For instance, documents showed that it was Poliquit who signed the requests for the provinces of Laguna (P5 million), Rizal (P5 million), Quezon (P5 million), Batangas (P3 million), Marinduque (P5 million), Mindoro Occidental (P5 million) and Parañaque (P5 million).

Invoking Executive Order 464, Poliquit and Agriculture Undersecretary Belinda Gonzales ignored three summonses from the Senate to attend earlier hearings.

Gonzales was Bolante’s co-signatory for the funds, while Assistant Secretary Felix Montes served as spokesman for the program.

Magsaysay announced yesterday that the bounty for Bolante’s arrest now stands at P168,095.50. Bolante has been missing since last year. — Mike Frialde, Christina Mendez