Lapid, 11 other lawmakers linked to fertilizer scam

MANILA, Philippines -  The Office of the Ombudsman is investigating Sen. Lito Lapid and 11 incumbent members of the House of Representatives in connection with the P728-million fertilizer scam in 2004.

House members being investigated are Florencio Miraflores of Aklan, Rogelio Espina of Biliran, Erico Aumentado of Bohol, Luis Villafuerte of Camarines Norte, Antonio Kho of Masbate, George Arnaiz of Negros Oriental, Eleandro Jesus Madrona of Romblon, Orlando Fua Sr. of Siquijor, Napoleon Dy of Isabela, Renato Unico Jr. of Camarines Norte, and Augusto Syjuco Jr. of Iloilo.

A list of “proponents” of fertilizer funds drawn up by former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante and former assistant secretary for field operations Ibarra Poliquit Jr. showed that Lapid and the 11 congressmen, except for Unico and Dy, were allocated P5 million each in fertilizer money.

Unico was alloted P3 million, while Dy was supposed to have received P2 million.

Lapid and the 11 congressmen, except for Unico, Syjuco and Dy, were governors of their provinces at the time Bolante and Poliquit listed them as fertilizer fund proponents-recipients.

In the case of Unico and Syjuco, they were House members then, while Dy was mayor of Alicia town in Isabela.

Five other incumbent House members who served as governors were also named as “proponents” in Bolante’s list and were allocated P5 million each.

They are Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin, Teodoro Baguilat Jr. of Ifugao, Victor Francisco Ortega of La Union, Imelda Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte, and Loreto Leo Ocampos of Misamis Occidental.

However, the Ombudsman’s office, in its April 15 resolution signed by overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro, “cleared” the five, saying they were among 76 “proponents” who did not receive their supposed allocations.

Also among the 76 were President Benigno Aquino III (listed as Benigno Aquino Jr.), then a Tarlac congressman; Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, who was a Batanes congressman; Supreme Court Justice Eduardo Nachura, who was a Western Samar representative; and former Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo Plaza.

Plaza told The STAR that it was obvious that Bolante and Poliquit just used their names to justify their request for the release of P728 million in fertilizer funds.

Bolante sent his request to Malacañang on Feb. 2, 2004 with a list of l05 House members, 52 governors, one vice governor, and 23 town mayors as “proponents.” The next day, Feb. 3, he got the funds he asked for.

Also “cleared” by the Ombudsman was Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.

However, reports of the Department of Agriculture and the Commission on Audit on the distribution of the P728 million in fertilizer funds showed that Zubiri, a Bukidnon congressman in 2004, used his P5-million allocation for a farm-to-market road in his district.

Zubiri and Lapid will act as judges in the coming Senate impeachment trial of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who is facing six charges topped by her alleged inaction on the fertilizer scam.

The April 15 Casimiro resolution is mostly about the Ombudsman’s recommendation for the filing of criminal charges against two former House members, two former governors, and scores of incumbent and former agriculture officials and private individuals.

However, the resolution states, “a separate investigation is still being conducted against named proponents in the SARO (special allotment release order, the Palace document containing Bolante’s funds).”

“These proponents are the elected public officials, who were congressmen, governors or mayors. Notably, 181 proponents are enumerated under the said list to where the P723-million FIFIF (farm inputs and farm implements fund) was distributed,” the Ombudsman’s office said.     

It said the fund totaled P723 million after Zubiri’s P5-million allocation was deducted and transferred to the Department of Public Works and Highways, which implemented his farm-to-market road project.

Aside from Lapid and the 11 congressmen, more than 60 former House members are covered by the supposed “separate investigation” of the Ombudsman.

They include at least 20 who are related to incumbent congressmen, as husbands, wives, brothers, or sisters.

They also include allies of President Aquino like governors Joey Salceda of Albay and Alfonso Umali of Mindoro Oriental, and former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta, who all belong to the ruling Liberal Party.

Another former House member under investigation is Zenaida Ducut of Pampanga’s second district, which is now represented by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Ducut still chairs the Energy Regulatory Commission as an Arroyo appointee.  

Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman has dropped from the list of respondents former agriculture regional director Gumersindo Lasam, who was killed in an ambush while on his way to his farm in Solana, Cagayan in April 2009.

“The case against Lasam will be dismissed due to his death,” Deputy Special Prosecutor Jesus Micael Miceal told The STAR yesterday, noting that the National Statistics Office has confirmed Lasam’s demise.

He said media reports on Lasam’s death were not enough to justify his dropping from the list of respondents. – Michael Punongbayan