Perjury raps vs fertilizer fund scam witness to push through

MANILA, Philippines – A perjury case that a businessman filed against a witness who testified in the Senate hearing on the P728-million fertilizer fund scam will push through after mediation between both parties failed, a source said yesterday.

Witness Leonicia Larena was charged with perjury by businessman Jaime Paule after she identified him as a link between former Department of Agriculture (DA) undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante and a foundation that facilitated the release of P728 million worth of fertilizer in 2004.

The fund was allegedly diverted to the campaign kitty of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the 2004 presidential elections. Paule and Bolante have denied the accusations.

Pasay City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 47 Judge Eliza Yu has set the next pre-trial hearing in March.

In 2009, Llarena, president of Dane Publishing House Inc., said she helped Paule by acting as a guarantor of Feshan Philippines, one of the suppliers of fertilizer involved in the scam, in dealing with the DA.

Paule denied the allegations, including his association with Bolante, the suspected architect of the scam. He also maintained that he was never involved with government projects under the DA or any of its offices.

Paule, whose daughter worked as writer for Llarena, said his business dealings were mainly with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Light Rail Transit Corporation.

Llarena, in her counter-affidavit, maintained the credence of her Senate testimony and said Paule “may be liable as he denied that he knew anything about the scheme.” She said Paule repeatedly denied knowing any of the persons involved in the scam, “but a photograph” taken during her birthday and the testimony of four other witnesses “belie his assertion.”

Llarena was referring to a photograph presented in the Senate, wherein Paule, his wife and daughter were seated beside Redentor Antolin and Julie Gregorio of Feshan Philippines. Paule denied the authenticity of the picture, prompting the Senate blue ribbon committee to send him to the Pasay City jail.