New evidence in fertilizer scam to ‘shock world’—Ombudsman

Former Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The anti-corruption agency has found new strong and “shocking” evidence against former Agriculture Secretary Luis “Cito” Lorenzo and Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante on the alleged fertilizer fund scam, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said on Thursday.

Morales said she believes the Sandiganbayan still found irregularities in the fertilizer funds and clarified that the court has not yet dismissed the case.

“The Sandiganbayan is aware that there is fraud and irregularity… It did not dismiss the case but wants the Ombudsman to submit more evidence. And they are ready to do that,” Morales said during their budget hearing in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

She added that the agency has only strengthened its case with newly found evidence.

“We have newly discovered evidence. We have only strengthened our case. It will surely shock the world,” Morales said.

The anti-graft court gave them 60 days to beef up their case against the two former officials under the Arroyo administration.

“We have a strong case. We are not filing a case if we don’t have a strong case,” Morales said.

The Sandiganbayan found no probable cause to hold Lorenzo and Bolante on trial for plunder on the purported diversion of P728 million fertilizer funds allegedly to the campaign kitty of former President Gloria Arroyo.

On May 2, the Ombudsman dismissed for lack of evidence the graft complaint against Arroyo in connection with the scam.

Lawyer Frank Chavez (now deceased) filed the plunder case, naming Bolante as one of those who signed the papers for the release and disposition of the funds.

Bolante fled to the United States before a Senate inquiry under the 13th Congress could start. He was later arrested in the airport in October 2008 when he was deported back to the Philippines after the US Embassy cancelled his visa.

Bolante finally appeared in the Senate in November 2008 before the blue ribbon committee chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon.

In his testimony in the Senate, Bolante cleared Arroyo of liability, saying the “implementation of the P728-million farm input-farm implement program was approved by [the budget department] without the President’s approval.”

Bolante also appeared before the House committee on agriculture, where he cleared all House members, governors and mayors whose names appeared on a purported list of beneficiaries of the fund, saying they were merely project proponents with whom the Department of Agriculture coordinated.

RELATED STORIES

Arroyo cleared in P728M fertilizer fund scam

Lapid found liable in fertilizer scam