'Bolante, others should be charged in P728-M fertilizer scam'

MANILA, Philippines - Former agriculture secretary Luis Lorenzo and former undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante must be charged with plunder for the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, Malacañang said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said it’s about time that something was done about it since the scam was committed in 2004. However, she refused to delve on the value of the evidence against the two.

Valte said acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro is in the best position to assess the evidence against those whom they think should be held criminally liable. 

“I do not want to comment on the quality of the evidence that they have because I recognize that it’s an independent office and they are the ones who are in custody of that evidence,” she said.

“There have been so many people who have been waiting for that to happen. It has been one of the issues raised against former ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez (that she had been sitting on the cases against Arroyo et al).” Casimiro opposed the motion for reconsideration filed by Lorenzo and Bolante before the Sandiganbayan. They will face trial for their alleged involvement in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam along with former assistant secretary Ibarra Poliquit and other former officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Casimiro also opposed the appeal of the other respondents: former lawmaker Nanette Castelo-Daza, former Marinduque governor Carmencita Reyes and former Catanduanes governor Leandro Verceles Jr., who were ordered charged with graft.

Casimiro ordered the filing of additional malversation of public funds charges against regional directors Cesar Rodriguez, Dennis Araullo, Ricardo Oblena, Leo Caneda, Oscar Parawan, Roger Chio, Sumail Sekak and Eduardo Lecciones Jr.