Philippines: More witnesses in fertilizer fund scam at Senate inquiry

This is from Malaya newspaper.
This scam involves a tangled web of relations between numerous people as this article shows.
To give the wrong testimony could very well put ones life in danger.


Joc Joc ‘pal’ set to bare allGordon starts connecting the dots
BY JP LOPEZ
THE Senate Blue Ribbon committee is gearing for an explosive testimony from Maritess Aytona, the alleged runner of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc Joc" Bolante, in today’s resumption of the investigation on the P728-million fertilizer mess.
"This is Ms. Aytona’s chance to clear her name. But she has to be ready because certainly a lot of questions will be thrown at her. We only want to hear the truth, and we do hope she would cooperate with our investigation," said panel chair Sen. Richard Gordon.
Gordon said Aytona denied she was a runner of Bolante but appeared to have transacted instead with alleged Malacañang liaison Jaime Paule and alleged financier Leonicia Llarena.
Gordon said Aytona is a combination of a runner and packager. "She was a runner of Paule and Llarena. She got 3 percent of a P40-million deal cornered by the foundation she was connected with," Gordon said.
He said Aytona and Bolante may not be directly linked to the fund mess but "Aytona is connected to Paule. Paule is connected to Llarena and Paule is connected by (agriculture undersecretary Belinda) Gonzales to Bolante."
Gordon said Aytona told him that Paule in February 2004 asked her to become a consultant of the foundation which would be a proponent and implementor of the Department of Agriculture project on distribution of farm inputs and implements.
Gordon said Aytona, the "packager" of proposals on the fertilizer project, should prepare herself for tough grilling especially after she snubbed the Senate hearings several times.
Senate witness Jose Barredo claimed he worked with Aytona who on the other hand worked as Bolante’s runner.
Aytona last Thursday surrendered to Gordon, a day after she was cited for contempt and ordered arrested for repeated refusal to attend hearings despite summonses.
Aytona has claimed she along with her brother Ramon and Eduardo were on their way to the Senate last Wednesday when motorcycle-riding men tried to ambush them.
Gordon said Paule’s life is also in great danger.
"Mr. Paule should come out in the open because if he has some knowledge on this multi-million fertilizer fund scam, he may be in great danger. But if he surrenders to the Senate, we can even give him protection," he said.
Gordon said the statements of Gonzales, Llarena and Aytona all point to Paule as a big part of the implementation of the fertilizer project.
"Mr. Paule has a lot of explaining to do. That could be the reason behind his continuous hiding, because he knows a lot about this and he may not have a good explanation on his actions," he said.
"Paule has been in the system of entering into transactions with the government. And I think this guy is apparently embedded in the system of corruption," he added.
Gonzales had testified that Paule was one of the people who were at the meeting with Bolante at the New World Hotel in Makati City sometime in 2002.
Gonzales said Paule’s group was seeking assistance against some people who had claimed connections with the DA and who had duped them.
Llarena, owner of Dane Publishing Inc., said she has known Paule and Aytona since 1998 and had been giving them loans for their projects with the government.
She said Paule had sought financial assistance from her regarding the fertilizer project.
She said she issued 10 personal checks from March 25 to September 30, 2004 amounting to P12.695 million to enable Paule to get fertilizers from Feshan Philippines Inc, the biggest supplier in the project.
Sen. Manuel Roxas II urged Bolante to stop covering up for his and his bosses’ role in the fund mess.
"Joc Joc’s options are getting fewer. Evidence is piling up that he is just inventing his alibi in the Senate. If I were Joc Joc, I’d tell the truth now and admit everything he knows about this scam," he said.
He said it would be Joc Joc’s Christmas gift not only to himself and his family but to the entire nation if he becomes truthful, admits the irregularities in the fertilizer program and spills the "real" brains behind it.
"His Christmas will be sad because he has fear and guilt in his heart. It is better to tell the truth during the hearing on Monday so he can have a more meaningful celebration of the holidays with his family," he also said.
Roxas warned the former agriculture undersecretary could be arrested and detained anew at the Senate if he continues to be elusive and if he sticks to his fabricated story.
"The committee will not hesitate to cite him in contempt again and order his arrest and detention at the Senate if he continues to be elusive and (continues) to tell us lies," he said.