P5B coursed through Nabcor could be used as new plunder case, says lawyer

Lawyer Levito Baligod INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—A lawyer on Tuesday said there was a P5-billion worth of misused funds coursed through the National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor), which could be used as a new plunder case against a former ranking agriculture official, lawyer Levito Baligod told reporters Monday.

Included in the P5 billion is the P300-million fund of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) special fund under the Department of Agriculture (DA) in 2009, which Baligod clarified is not connected to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The GMA scam, Baligod said in an earlier interview was “more vicious” than the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Baligod, together with former Nabcor employees Rhodora Mendoza, former Vice President for Administration and Finance and Victor Cacal, General Services Supervisor met with Justice Secretary Leila De Lima and submitted their affidavits.

“Maganda ang programa ng DA (Department of Agriculture) para sa magsasaka natin pero pag-inimplement nila, sila [government officials] mismo ang sasabutahe (The DA programs are good for the farmers but once they implement them, they sabotage the projects themselves) ,” Baligod said.

Part of the GMA fund, he said, is the P105 million allotted for technical studies for non-government organizations. However, he said the DA themselves conduct the technical studies.

Besides the GMA rice scam, Baligod said there are eight other projects used as conduit for the P5 billion fund—Post Harvest Facilities, Agricultural Competitive Enhancement Fund (Acef), Barangay Food Terminal, among others.

Besides Mendoza and Cacal, Baligod said there are four other Nabcor officers prepared to talk about questionable activities in Nabcor.

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