Bolante hearing resumes with Gordon as Blue Ribbon chair

Sen. Richard Gordon, as new Blue Ribbon committee chairman, has summoned the regional directors of the Department of Agriculture to explain their roles in the alleged misuse of P728 million when the investigation on the fertilizer fund scam resumes today.

In today’s hearing, Bolante will face off with DA regional directors Cipriano Santiago, Gumersindo Lasam, Redentor Gatus, Abelardo Bragas, Antonio Gerundio, Jose Daya, Larry Nacionales, Ricardo Oblene, Leo Caneda, Oscar Parawan, Lealyn Ramos, Roger Chio, Abusama Alid, Ricardo Regis and Cesar Rodriguez.

Gordon said the Senate also summoned Ibarra Poliquit, Bolante’s former chief of staff and DA assistant secretary, who had continually defied four subpoenas and one invitation by invoking Executive Order 464 banning executive officials from attending legislative hearings without consent from Malacañang.

“Poliquit’s testimony is equally vital to the final closure of the fertilizer fund controversy as he personally received direct orders from Bolante himself,” he said.

Poliquit, now vice president for physical resources at the Government Service Insurance System, purportedly requested the transfer of some P115 million in Southern Tagalog, Bicol and Central Visayas.

Also scheduled as resource persons were Commission on Audit Chairman Reynaldo Villar, DA Assistant Secretary Felix Montes and Kalibo, Aklan Mayor Raymar Rebaldo, allegedly one of the recipients of the funds.

Gordon takes over the Blue Ribbon committee from Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano following the ouster of Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. as Senate president and his replacement by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile names new chairmen

Enrile approved the transfer of the major committees to new chairmen during the Senate session yesterday.

The committee on accounts went to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who also got the ethics and privileges committee and the ways and means committee.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan heads the committee on energy, in addition to the committee on agrarian reform and the committee on public order.

Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. heads the committee on public works and highways, while Sen. Rodolfo Biazon got the national defense committee and urban planning committee.

Sen. Lito Lapid remained chairman of the games and amusement and sports committee, and Benigno Aquino III stayed as chairman of the committee on local government.

Sen. Francis Escudero was also retained as chairman of the justice committee.

However, a decision is yet to be reached if Escudero will get the committee on banks and government corporations, according to Enrile.

Sen. Loren Legarda, who circulated the resolution on Villar’s ouster, got the committee on agriculture, while Sen. Edgardo Angara was given the finance committee.

Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is chairman of the committee on cooperatives.

As majority leader, Zubiri will also become the chairman of the committee on rules.

Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada will remain chairman of the committee on labor, while Sen. Jamby Madrigal will head the committee on environment.       – With Christina Mendez