Lapid posts P30-K bail, beats release of arrest warrant

Senator Lito Lapid   INQUIRER PHOTO

SEN. LITO Lapid on Monday maintained his innocence as he posted P30,000 bail in the Sandiganbayan ahead of the issuance of a warrant for his arrest in connection with the fertilizer fund scam.

Lapid, who is running for mayor of Angeles City, Pampanga, in next year’s elections, was indicted for graft by the Ombudsman last week over the alleged overprice by P4.3 million of liquid fertilizer purchased when he was Pampanga governor in 2004.

The case against him was raffled off to the Sandiganbayan antigraft court’s First Division, which is also hearing the plunder and graft cases against Sen. Bong Revilla in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Lapid appeared in court anticipating the release of an arrest warrant.

Speaking to reporters, the senator blamed his late provincial administrator, Benalfre Galang, for the supposed irregularity in the purchase of 3,880 bottles of foliar fertilizer.

“He was my administrator then but he has already died. There were (documents) signed without my knowledge,” Lapid said.

“I’m ready to answer the allegations. I posted bail because I did not want to wait for the warrant of arrest,” he said.

The Office of the Ombudsman said Lapid approved the purchase of liquid fertilizer for P4.85 million from DA Vasquez Macro-Micro Fertilizer Resources and Malayan Pacific Trading without a public bidding.

The Ombudsman said Lapid and his fellow respondents shortchanged the government by P4.3 million as the bottles of fertilizer were overpriced by P1,100 each.

The amount was part of the P728 million in fertilizer funds allegedly used to bankroll the campaign of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her 2004 presidential bid.

Also charged were then provincial treasurer Vergel Baltazar Yabut and provincial accountant Benjamin de Guzman Yuzon.

Businessmen Dexter Alexander Vasquez, Ma. Victoria Aquino-Abubakar and Leolita Aquino were also charged as private respondents.

The Ombudsman said the purchase of the fertilizer was marked by irregularities since it was completed in only 14 days.

It said Lapid and the others acted “with evident bad faith, manifest partiality or… gross inexcusable negligence” in approving the contract.