Ex-Marinduque solon, 6 others face graft over fertilizer fund scam

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the indictment of a former Marinduque congressman and six Department of Agriculture officials for their involvement in the fertilizer fund scam. 

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales affirmed the filing of malversation and graft charges against ex-Marinduque Rep. Edmundo Reyes, and DA Regional executive director Dennis Araullo, regional accountant Raymundo Braganza; regional technical directors Balagtas Torres and Rodolfo Guieb; legislative coordinator Lucille Odejar, and cashier II Dory Iranzo.

Marige Tajon Luz, president and chairman of the Board of Trustees of a non-government organization (NGO), Gabaymasa Foundation Inc., is also facing similar charges.

Records showed that in 2004, the Department of Budget and Management released P728 million for the implementation of Farm Inputs and Farm Implements Program, or also known as the Fertilizer Fund, to the province of Marinduque as one of the identified beneficiaries of the project.

In Mar. 10, 2004, Reyes and Araullo signed a memorandum of agreement with Luz's Gabaymasa as implementor of the procurement of fertilizers worth P5 million. The supplier was B.T. Mangrubang.

In the resolution, the Ombudsman said that the selection of Gabaymasa as project implementor violated a Commission of Audit circular, which specifically provides for the process of accreditation, verification, and validation of NGOs.

Graft investigators found out that Gabaymasa is not based in the community where the project was implemented as it is located in Quezon City as place of business. They also discovered that Gabaymasa has no proven track record in the field of agriculture.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman dismissed the criminal charges against Gabaymasa representatives Concha Idica, Ma. Cristina Vizcarra, Caridad Tajon, Melencio Punzalan, Rodolfo Luz, and Bernard Mangrubang of B.T. Mangrubang Enterprises for lack of probable cause.