Lapid: Graft charges on fertilizer scam on appeal

ANGELES CITY, Philippines - – Sen. Lito Lapid said yesterday he has asked the Office of the Ombudsman to review the graft charges filed against him for his alleged involvement in a fertilizer anomaly during his term as Pampanga governor.

“The case is still with the Office of the Ombudsman undergoing the required judicious and fair review,” he said in a statement.

In its report in January, the ombudsman’s Task Force Abono said Lapid purchased P4.8 million worth of liquid fertilizers in May 2004 out of the P5 million he got from then agriculture undersecretary Jocjoc Bolante. The task force reported that the fertilizers were 1,000 percent overpriced.

Lapid said he has yet to receive information on the resolution of the ombudsman, but noted that his lawyers have responded to all the complaints.

“We have replied to all the complaints and we have asked the ombudsman to scrutinize the case, especially our defense that proves that I did not violate any law in the cited transactions,” he said.

He appealed to the public not to prejudge him, adding he hoped the ombudsman would come up with a resolution “that jibes with existing laws and jurisprudence.”

In its resolution, the ombudsman said Lapid and his co-accused  violated certain provisions of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Sections 10 and 18 of the Government Procurement Act and Article 217 in relation to Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code.

The ombudsman’s task force cited records showing that the provincial government under Lapid purchased 3,880 liters of fertilizers at P1,250 per liter from Macro-Micro Foliar Fertilizer.

An investigating team found that the same kind of fertilizer was being sold in the market for only P120 per liter.

The ombudsman also cited a farmers’ group in Pampanga whose officials denied they received the fertilizers.