Cayetano hits colleagues for supporting Gordon's fertilizer scam report

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano criticized yesterday his colleagues in the opposition for supporting the report of Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, on the fertilizer fund scam.

Cayetano claimed that Gordon had produced a “half-baked” report that did not indict President Arroyo of any responsibility in the anomalies.

Opposition members in the Senate majority signed Gordon’s committee report on the fertilizer fund scam when it was clear that Mrs. Arroyo would not be held accountable for it, he said.

Cayetano explained that in law, the doctrine of qualified political agency would not be enough to indict a person.

Gordon recommended that plunder and other charges be filed against former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante and several individuals allegedly involved in the scam.

Cayetano said Gordon came up with the report without trying to get direct evidence against Mrs. Arroyo, but rather focused on people with lower ranks or less participation.

He added that the lack of direct evidence could be compensated by circumstantial evidence that would show that Mrs. Arroyo had known about and could be the one behind the mess in the fertilizer funds, allegedly diverted to her campaign kitty in 2004.

Cayetano also asked Gordon why he rushed the committee report on the national broadband network deal controversy. – Aurea Calica