COA, DBM ON FERTILIZER FUND
Irregularities in disbursement of P728M
By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:16:00 12/02/2008
Filed Under: Joc-joc Bolante, Congress, State Budget & Taxes
MANILA, Philippines -- Officials of the Commission on Audit (CoA) and Department of Budget Management (DBM) noted several irregularities in the disbursement of a controversial P728-million fertilizer fund by former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante.
The House agriculture committee is undertaking an inquiry into the so-called fertilizer fund scam, which allegedly involved the diversion of the P728 million to the 2005 campaign kitty of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and which Bolante is accused of engineering.
Former budget secretary Emilia Boncodin told the committee that while the request for funds was "a regular course of business," the breakdown of funds by district down to local government unit was not normal.
"As far as the nature or amount of request, I think it is in the regular course of business. What may be unusual was it was the only release I could think of that showed breakdown by district, province, and local government unit," said Boncodin, who was among the cabinet officials who resigned at the height of a controversy involving purported wiretaps of Arroyo and an election commissioner allegedly discussing cheating in the 2004 elections.
Boncodin however defended the early release of funds, saying the money released in February 2004 was part of the 2003 budget.
The CoA, meanwhile, noted overpricing and other violations committed by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
"As far as the liquidating document submitted is concerned, we have seen observations such as overpricing and non-compliance with rules and regulations," said CoA chief Flerida Jimenez.
Jimenez also said they discovered a P173-million "disallowance," or funds that must be returned to the DBM.
Meanwhile, Cavite Representative Crispin Remulla asked Bolante why several non-governmental organizations were included as beneficiaries of the fertilizer fund and whether there was really a need to distribute agricultural equipment in Metro Manila.
Bolante admitted a "realignment" or diversion of funds to districts not listed in the original proposal could have taken place, but claimed this was beyond his control.
Bolante said he was only responsible for the first phase or the "release of funds" but was no involved longer hands-on with the implementation, although he acknowledged being informed that shredders distributed to several areas in Manila were "used to produce compost and gardening ornamental plants."
Remulla also urged the committee to invite officers of the DA’s Regional Field Units specifically from Regions 1, 4, 8, and 11and selected NGO's.
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