Congressman seeks probe on new P2.1-B fertilizer scam

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Rep. Carlos Padilla of this province sought the investigation of another “fertilizer scam” which, he claimed, is bigger and more anomalous than the one being investigated by Congress involving former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante.

According to Padilla, he had uncovered another fertilizer scam, this time involving P2.1 billion whose special allotment release orders (SARO) covered the smaller P728-million fertilizer fund of Bolante.

He said the P728-million fertilizer fund mess was “just the tip of a bigger iceberg.”

Padilla said the P728 million supposedly under Bolante involved only one of a series of SAROs that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) issued days in succession during the campaign period for the 2004 general elections.

“The P728 million is just dealing with one SARO. There are other SAROs that were released days apart for the same purpose, all part of a bigger amount of P2.1 billion. That’s why I feel there is more need to look into the bigger amount,” Padilla said.

Padilla expressed belief that the P728-million scam is part of the P2.1 billion allegedly engineered by Bolante to ensure President Arroyo’s bid for a full presidential term in 2004.

Padilla cited the case of Nueva Vizcaya, which was not identified among the provinces that supposedly benefited from Bolante’s fertilizer fund.

There were records, however, that showed the province, then under Gov. Rodolfo Agbayani, had received the funds.

“If we see the list of beneficiaries in the P728 million, Nueva Vizcaya is not part of it, so there were additional vouchers for said releases issued days apart in 2004,” he said.

As per records cited by Padilla, then governor Agbayani received P4.9 million in behalf of the province, given in the form of 4.166-kilogram bottles of microbial inoculant soil activator on April 30, 2004, or 11 days before the May elections.

The supplier of the items, Akame Marketing International, received the payment from the Nueva Vizcaya provincial government a week later on May 7, the same day the journal entry voucher and disbursement voucher related to payment of the items was made, he said.

Records also showed the payment was provided by the Department of Agriculture through its regional office in Tuguegarao City, which also made the transaction for the purchase of the items.