Chavez seeks to speed up probe of fertilizer fund scam

Former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez filed a motion before the Ombudsman yesterday requiring respondents in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam to file their counter-affidavits.

Chavez complained that the Ombudsman is moving too slow on the case and requiring respondents to submit counter-affidavits can speed up the probe.

"Di maaktuhan ang kaso (The case will not be acted upon). The Senate has already finished its report and the Commission on Audit has issued a special audit report confirming that there were anomalies in the release of the disbursements. If you look at the Senate and COA reports, there is already prima facie evidence," Chavez said.

Those who need to file their counter-affidavits are President Arroyo, former agriculture secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr., former budget secretary Emilia Boncodin, Mario Relampagos, Nora Oliveros, former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, Ibarra Poliquit, Rose Lingan-Florendo, Lenny Aquino and Jane Fabian.

In his complaint for plunder with the Ombudsman, Chavez alleged that the President and other top government officials diverted funds of the Department of Agriculture for the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) to her campaign kitty and those of her allies.

Chavez noted that GMA funds were released to "highly urbanized areas" in Metro Manila where there were no farms.

COA records show that more than 100 of the 236 members of the House of Representatives, 53 governors and 26 town mayors received between P3 million and P10 million each in fertilizer funds from the Department of Agriculture shortly before the May 2004 election.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration has denied reports that Bolante has returned to the country to spend Easter with his family.

Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez said immigration officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport have reported to him that there were no records of Bolante returning to the country.

"But we are not sure if he came back through the backdoor," he told The STAR. He also admitted that they have yet to verify records with international airports in Cebu, Davao, Subic, Clark and Laoag.

Fernandez issued the statement after reports circulated through mobile text messages that the former government official linked to a multi-million fertilizer scam will spend Holy Week in his house on Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa City.

Bolante was slapped with contempt charge by the Senate for refusing to appear in the chamber’s hearings on the fertilizer fund scam. Because of this, he would be immediately arrested upon arrival at any airport in the country and will be turned over to the Senate.

Although Congress is in recess, Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the warrant of arrest issued by the Senate against Bolante remains in effect.

According to Pimentel, Bolante’s appearance before the Senate committee would "put a closure to the investigation relative to the fertilizer scam." — With Edu Punay, Christina Mendez