Undersecretary is most corrupt DA official, say lawmakers

MANILA, Philippines - An undersecretary of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap is under fire from several congressmen for alleged corruption in handling hundreds of millions in funds for farm-to-market roads (FMR).

During Monday’s closed-door hearing on Yap’s 2010 budget, a congressman from Samar shouted at the undersecretary: “You are the most corrupt official in the Department of Agriculture!”

The initial part of the hearing was opened to the public, including the media. But when the exchanges between Yap and his officials, on one hand, and congressmen, on the other, became nasty, the appropriations committee excluded the public, especially the media, from the hearing.

Even members of the staff of congressmen were told to go out of the hearing room.

Another congressman who witnessed the outburst of his Samar colleague told The STAR yesterday that the latter accused Yap’s undersecretary of taking huge commissions and kickbacks from FMR projects.

He said the official, who is reportedly close to an influential personality in Malacañang, meekly denied the accusation.

He said Yap, for his part, asked the complainant to support his accusation with evidence so he could initiate an investigation against his undersecretary.

“I told them to file a complaint with me,” Yap was quoted as telling the congressman.

However, the congressman informed Yap that none of the contractors who have been awarded farm-to-market road projects was willing to testify against the undersecretary.

The source said several other congressmen supported the accusation of their colleague from Samar.

Another Samar congressman confronted Yap with his alleged failure to deliver on his promises.

With a raised voice, the lawmaker told the agriculture secretary that he promised him tens of millions worth of (FMR) projects, but that “his word remained just that – a promise.”

Yap reportedly resented the way the congressman aired his gripes against him and retorted, “Don’t shout at me!”

However, the lawmaker got what he wanted. Minutes after the verbal tussle, Yap was seen signing a document in front of the Samar lawmaker.

Other House members received their share of the FMR bonanza from the agriculture secretary.

FMRs are derisively called farm-to-pocket roads and roads-to-my-farm projects.

Yap’s department has become one of the most corrupt agencies of government due to a string of scandals, including the P728-million fertilizer scam in 2004, which was repeated on a lesser scale in 2007.

In 2004 and 2007, the agriculture department funneled hundreds of millions to private foundations and organizations, most of which failed to account for the funds.