Philippines: More sh*t hits the fan about fertilizer scam

This is from Malaya (Manila)



It seems that there may finally be some charges laid against Bolante the former agriculture undersecretary who seems to have masterminded the scheme although no doubt higher ups were also indirectly involved. Those higherups may still be able to quash any action.



Gordon tags Palace in fertilizer scam
BY JP LOPEZ
THE Senate Blue Ribbon committee is expected to come out with a preliminary report on the P728-million fertilizer fund mess either today or tomorrow containing a strong statement against Malacañang for its crime by omission or commission.
"You commit crimes by omission or commission, and the omission is very glaring. It amounts to passive commission," Blue Ribbon chair Sen. Richard Gordon said yesterday.
He said the report is specific on the acts committed, either by omission or commission, by all parties involved.
He said the report "is more specific and hard-hitting than the committee report during the 13th Congress by the committees on Blue Ribbon and Agriculture."
Senators Joker Arroyo and Ramon Magsaysay Jr. released a final report in December 2005 recommending the filing of graft charges against former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc Joc" Bolante for masterminding the illegal diversion of fertilizer funds that found their way into the campaign kitty of President Arroyo in the 2004 elections.
Gordon said the fertilizer fund mess "is a very, very big case because there are killings involved."
"With an issue this big, their (Palace) silence is deafening," he said.
He recalled that the deaths of former DA employees Marlene Esperat and Teofilo Mojica had been linked to their attempts to expose irregularities in the department.
He said he would recommend filing of charges against personalities involved in the mess.
Gordon said the committee would no longer hold hearings unless there is new evidence.
Gordon has said the Senate is readying the transmittal of testimonial and documentary evidence to help the Office of the Ombudsman in filing plunder charges against Bolante and other key personalities implicated in the fertilizer fund mess.
Gordon said evidence gathered by his panel is sufficient.
"We have enough (evidence) to bring this (case) to the Ombudsman. There is a ton of evidence, and we have heard testimony among witnesses that were presented by way of checks and reports. We warn the Ombudsman that there is enough evidence," he said.
"We will serve hard evidence in a silver platter," he said.