Senate bet wants gov’t to explain P1.1-B fund use

A senatorial candidate of the Alyansa ng Pag-asa asked the Supreme Court yesterday to compel the government to explain why selected public officials allied with President Arroyo benefited from the P1.109 billion in government funds supposedly intended for farmers.

In a petition, lawyer Melanio "Batas" Mauricio Jr. said the high court should order the government to immediately deliver the money to farmers nationwide so they themselves could buy "farm inputs" for their agrarian needs.

Mauricio noted there must be a full disclosure of the details of the release of money, "to dispel doubts that the aforesaid government funds amounting to P1.109 billion were released by the respondents merely to buy votes for President Arroyo and her partymates" in the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD).

Named respondents to the case were Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo as representative of Mrs. Arroyo, Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin and Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo.

Mauricio also called on the Supreme Court to stop congressmen, governors and mayors from spending the P1.109 billion in any manner other than buying and delivering to farmers the "farm inputs" in question.

The money must be used in satisfying the needs of the farmers and not the selected government officials, he said.

Mauricio said Boncodin last Feb. 3 released to Lorenzo’s department the separate amounts of P728 million and P291 million.

The P728 million was released through a special allotment release order for the fiscal year 2004, while the amount of P291 million was released through advice of a SARO.

Mauricio complained the money was given to selected congressmen, who supposedly received either P3 million or P5 million each.

Certain governors allegedly received P5 million each and P2 million for each selected mayor.

Mauricio listed the names of the congressmen, governors and mayors.

He said he tried to seek clarification from Boncodin and Lorenzo on the matter but they did not respond to his requests.

"The fact is that the funds in question constitute government funds, culled from taxes paid by petitioner and other law abiding Filipinos, so that petitioner is vested with the requisite legal personality to institute this action," Mauricio said.

He noted the timing of the release of the funds to the President’s allies was suspect.

This can be dubbed the "P1 billion Arroyo farm inputs scam," he said, arguing it can only be clarified by a full disclosure of the documents and other relevant information covering the transactions.

"If there is nothing to hide, surely, the respondents could easily comply with the full disclosure being requested by the petitioner," Mauricio said.