Senators clash over need to end fertilizer scam probe

Two senators clashed yesterday over the need to end the Senate probe into the P728-million fertilizer fund scam involving former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, former Blue Ribbon committee chairman, challenged Sen. Richard Gordon, the current chairman, to go after the mastermind of the scam.

“Mastermind still at large,” Cayetano said in a text message.

“Closure is good if case resolved but closure for the sake of closure will just help the administration.

“Vow of the chairman is good if everyone involved especially the mastermind is held accountable.”

Cayetano was reacting to Gordon’s statement that he intends to wrap up the probe as necessary evidence on the alleged participation of key personalities linked to the issue has been satisfactorily established.

“We should remember administration has been pushing for stopping probes which is obviously to pave the way for Cha-cha,” Cayetano said.

“Thus I would advise caution on closure while congratulating him on how far the committee has gone. However, there is still a way to go to get the whole truth.”

Gordon said the Senate Blue Ribbon committee will close the investigation after all testimonial and documentary evidence have been gathered and submitted in the succeeding hearings.

“We have seen a lot in this investigation but there are more to be revealed,” Gordon said in a statement.

“Sooner or later, important personalities involved in this scam would yield to the committee and spill out everything they know about it.

“We will finish this investigation but we will not do so until we have revealed everything there is in this anomalous project.”

Gordon said he is preparing a preliminary report on the committee’s initial findings after conducting five hearings on the fertilizer fund scam.

He is ready to submit it for the committee members’ signature before the Senate resumes session on Jan. 19, he added.

During the 13th Congress, the Senate Blue Ribbon committee and committee on agriculture recommended the filing of charges against Bolante and others involved after conducting several hearings on the scam.