Bacolod SP backs Senate move to continue fertilizer scam probe
BACOLOD CITY -- The Sangguniang Panglungsod passed a resolution Wednesday supporting the move of the Senate of the Philippines to proceed with the investigation on the controversial Fertilizer Fund Scam.
Councilor Alex Paglumotan, chairman of Committee on Agriculture, authored the resolution saying that it's high time for former Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn 'Jocjoc' Bolante to tell the truth and unearth all these things.
Paglumotan believes that Bolante is not the main culprit but was only used as the agent of the grand design to favor the reigning political party in 2004.
"Now is the right time for 'Jocjoc' to name them all because it's very unfair for the farmers of the Philippines who could have directly benefited from the project," he added.
Bacolod City Congressman Monico Puentevella reportedly received at least P8 million of the said fertilizer fund. But Paglumotan clarified that the main purpose of the resolution is not to single-out the Bacolod solon but everybody involved in the scam.
City Legal Officer Atty. Allan Zamora, complainant of the graft case against Puentevella, reported that Ombudsman Visayas referred his complaint to the Commission on Audit central office to avoid duplication of the on-going investigation.
"Kon may isa ka tawo nga gina-arikis sa pag-abot ni Bolante, ina wala sang iban kondi si Monico Puentevella, (Cong. Puentevella definitely is very concerned now that Bolante has arrived)," Zamora said.
"The City Agriculture Office only received a little over of one-thousand liters of liquid fertilizer from the congressional office. With P8 million budget for the city, it is very expensive," Zamora stressed.
Records showed that some funds given to Puentevella entered into the family-owned foundation called MOP Foundation, an acronym according to Zamora, of 'Monico Ogtong Puentevella'.
"And even Jose Barredo of Capiz, runner for Feshan Philippines Inc admitted in previous Senate investigation that Puentevella asked a certain percentage to the liquid fertilizer dealer when Barredo went in the city," Zamora added.
To recall, when the issue on fertilizer scam came out in 2007, Puentevella merely laughed.
He said he doesn't know Barredo and challenged him to present proofs that indeed he went to his house in Bacolod.
Zamora and Paglumotan are all allies of Mayor Evelio Leonardia who used the fertilizer scam as political issue against the solon starting 2007 elections.