New raps filed vs Cotabato lawmaker over fertilizer scam

MANILA, Philippines — North Cotabato second district Rep. Nancy Catamco is facing another criminal case in connection with the fertilizer fund scam.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed the charges before the Sandiganbayan on May 17, and named Catamco’s former husband Pompey Perez and former mayor Orville Fua of Lazi, Siquijor as among the respondents in the case.

The case stemmed from the Lazi municipal government’s award of a contract to Perzebros Co., which was owned by Catamco and Perez,  for the supply of 1,866 liters of liquid fertilizer at P1,500 per liter or a total of P2.687 million in January 2005.

The ombudsman said Fua conspired with his co-accused to award the contract despite irregularities in the procurement process.

The ombudsman said Perzebros did not also post a performance security bond to guarantee the delivery of the procured items. There was no proof that the project was implemented, it added.

Catamco, who won as governor of North Cotabato in the May 13 elections, is facing separate graft and malversation charges as co-accused of Edgar Rama, former mayor of Poro, Cebu, over the alleged anomalous award of a P5-million contract for the purchase of fertilizer in 2004.

Aside from lack of public bidding, the fertilizer supplied also by Perzebros Co. was allegedly overpriced by P4.58 million.

Fua, who won as a board member of Siquijor in the recently concluded mid-term elections, is facing a separate graft case over the Lazi municipal government’s purchase of fertilizer in 2004 amounting to P4.99 million from another private supplier.