MANILA, Philippines—The wife of a department undersecretary should be called to testify at the inquiry into the P728-million fertilizer fund scam to be reopened next week, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. said Thursday.
Pimentel told reporters at a news conference that he would suggest to the blue ribbon committee chair, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, that a woman surnamed Gerochi be summoned as a witness.
Asked whether he was referring to Aida Gerochi, as identified in text messages making the rounds, Pimentel said he did not know the woman “from Adam,” but that he had heard “she was involved in facilitating the distribution of the fertilizer money.”
“Whether that was done legally or not, I still don’t know, but certainly we can ask information from her to complete our investigation, in addition to what [former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-joc”] Bolante will have to tell us under compulsion by the Senate,” he said.
Pimentel was referring to the distribution of farmers’ fertilizer funds, purportedly engineered by Bolante, to allies and supporters of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the campaign for the 2004 presidential election.
On the phone Thursday night, Environment Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi denied that his wife Aida was involved in the distribution of the funds.
“How can she? She has never been connected with the DA (Department of Agriculture),” Gerochi said.
He said his wife used to work for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources but retired in 1980 to go into private business. She is now a sales agent of a construction company.
Manuel Gerochi is the brother of Jose Mari Gerochi, who served as agriculture undersecretary during the Ramos administration.
‘Faking it’
Pimentel stressed that the Senate should again look into the fertilizer fund scam, especially with Bolante now around, so that the chamber would “not be perceived to be just paying lip service.”
Bolante was arrested on Oct. 28 by representatives of the Senate sergeant at arms after his deportation from the United States. He was immediately taken to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, and has since been confined there for various medical tests.
Pimentel said that with Senate doctors finding that Bolante was not afflicted with any serious ailment, the latter should be made to testify before the Senate blue ribbon committee.
“He’s faking it,” Pimentel said.
He also suggested to his fellow senators questioning the revival of the inquiry into the fund scam to “take a look at the records of the case so that embarrassment can be avoided all around.”
Senators Edgardo Angara, Joker Arroyo and Juan Miguel Zubiri contend that the Senate cannot reopen the inquiry. They point out that the agriculture committee under then Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. already investigated the matter and issued a report in 2005.
They insist that the Office of the Ombudsman is now the proper investigating body because Magsaysay recommended the criminal prosecution of Bolante and other DA officials.
Ombudsman Gutierrez
Cayetano himself said Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez could be questioned on how she had been handling the investigation of the fertilizer fund scam, either at the inquiry he would reopen or during the Senate’s deliberations on the budget proposal of her office.
“The priority and focus of our investigation is Bolante, but there are many questions raised on the way the Office of the Ombudsman is handling its cases,” Cayetano told dzMM radio.
Frank Chavez, the former solicitor general who filed the original suit in the fertilizer fund scam, has accused the Office of the Ombudsman of obstruction of justice and dereliction of duty for sitting on the investigation reports that found “a prima facie case” in the scam.
Chavez Thursday told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that he had filed a supplementary motion at the Supreme Court for an immediate decision on the case.
As evidence, he said he submitted an investigation report dated June 2006 in which it was stated that charges could be filed against Bolante, who purportedly approved the release of P14 million of the P728-million fund.
Chavez said the others to be charged were Assistant Agriculture Secretary Ibarra Poliquit, DA regional executive director Dennis Araullo, Assistant Secretary Belinda Gonzales, DA Cash and Disbursement Division officer in charge Emma Gonzales, DA regional accountant Raymudo Braganza, DA accountants Juvylee Obice and Marie Paz Jasmine Cabucol, DA OIC regional executive director Rodolfo Guieb, DA inspection officer Abelardo Bragas, DA Calabarzon bids and awards committee members Felix Ramos and Ofelia Montilla, DA Calabarzon BAC co-chair Gregorio Sangalang, and a number of John Does.
“This proves that way before, the Ombudsman already had reports from its field offices that these officials should be charged for the scam. But Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez only sat on these reports,” Chavez said.
Farm machines
According to Chavez, the P14 million from the total fund was allocated for the purchase of farm machines between April and May of 2004 and was based on letters of endorsement submitted by Quezon City Rep. Nanette Daza, then Malabon-Navotas Rep. Federico Sandoval, then Batangas Rep. and now Lipa City Mayor Oscar Gozos, and then Marinduque Gov. and now Rep. Carmencita Reyes.
The money was supposed to be used in the purchase of “shredding machines.”
But according to the investigation report, the machines were overpriced and that the government could have saved P2.75 million if it bought the machines from another supplier, Chavez said.
He added that eight of the 14 machines were not functioning.
Chavez filed charges of plunder, malversation of public funds, and violation of the Constitution and election laws against Ms Arroyo, Bolante and other DA officials on May 26, 2004, for P728 million and June 8, 2004, for P1.1 billion.
On Oct. 8, 2007, Chavez filed a mandamus petition at the Supreme Court to compel the Ombudsman to act on the case. In June and Oct. 24 of this year, he filed petitions for an early decision of the case.
‘Speak up’
In Subic Bay, Zambales, Deputy National Security Adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson Thursday joined the clamor for Bolante to break his silence on the fund scam.
“He should speak up so the people would be enlightened once and for all,” Singson told reporters at the Local Peace and Security Assembly led by Ms Arroyo for the Tarlac region.
He said Bolante’s revelation—particularly on who had actually benefited from the fertilizer funds—would “help the country” especially at a time when various allegations were being hurled against the President.
Singson said it was “unfair” that Ms Arroyo was being dragged into the mess when Bolante had yet to talk. He said the latter’s testimony should focus on local officials who had received portions of the fund.
“Whoever was involved in the issue should be the ones to be charged,” he said in Filipino. “We cannot attribute to the President everything that’s happening in our country.”
Evidence
Singson also said those pushing the latest impeachment complaint against Ms Arroyo should speak only the truth.
It was Singson’s testimony eight years ago that helped trigger the downfall of then President Joseph Estrada, his erstwhile drinking buddy.
“When I came out then, my evidence was complete,” Singson said. “The problem now is that the evidence is not complete. Complainants talk first before presenting evidence. So if they really have evidence, they should show it now.”
Complainants led by Jose “Joey” de Venecia III are awaiting the House of Representatives’ action on the impeachment complaint, the fourth to be filed against Ms Arroyo in as many years.
The group wants to use Bolante as a hostile witness to beef up its case against Ms Arroyo.
“They don’t have credible witnesses,” Singson said of the complainants. “Sometimes, they even stretch the truth. They shouldn’t do that. They should stick to the issue.”
Naming names
With the House leadership dragging its feet on proposals to hold a parallel probe of Bolante, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casińo is planning to “expose” the over 104 congressmen who had received the fertilizer funds in a privilege speech next week.
“I’m really considering the idea especially since Malacańang is doing everything to keep Joc-Joc from telling the truth. If the broker won’t talk, maybe the recipients of the fund should,” he told the Inquirer, adding wryly:
“The speech should generate up to 100 requests for interpellation.” With reports from TJ Burgonio, Christian V. Esguerra and Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
