Ex-government officials in fertilizer scam post bail

MANILA, Philippines - Three former ranking government officials accused of involvement in the so-called fertilizer fund scam of 2004 posted bail in different amounts at the Sandiganbayan yesterday.

Former Catanduanes governor Leonardo Verceles Jr., who is facing one graft case, paid P30,000 in exchange for his temporary liberty.

Former lawmakers Nanette Castelo-Daza of Quezon City and Carmencita Reyes of Marinduque, on the other hand, posted bail in the amount of P60,000 each since they are also facing technical malversation charges apart from alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

They were the first of many respondents to show up at the anti-graft court after the cases against them were raffled off to different Sandiganbayan divisions on Friday.

Verceles, Reyes and Daza were among those who were identified as supposed beneficiaries of missing fertilizer funds.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the filing of charges against them last month after years of conducting an investigation into the alleged anomaly involving P728 million in public funds.

The anti-graft agency also ordered the filing of plunder charges against former agriculture secretary Luis Lorenzo and former undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante.

However, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the prosecutorial arm of the Office of the Ombudsman, has decided not to file the cases yet because both respondents filed motions for reconsideration of the resolution that found probable cause to indict them in court.

Deputy Special Prosecutor Jesus Micael said Reyes and Daza’s graft and technical malversation cases went to the Sandiganbayan First and Third Divisions, respectively, while the graft case against Verceles also went to the First Division.

He said all three posted bail even though the anti-graft court is yet to issue warrants for their arrest.

Micael has not scheduled arraignment dates.

In its Resolution, the Office of the Ombudsman said P56.64 million of the P728 million in fertilizer funds transferred to the regional field units remain unaccounted for, which is “proof of diversion, misappropriation, misuse, or malversation of public funds.”