Roxas seeks Senate caucus on Bolante
Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas on Tuesday pushed anew for the holding of a caucus among all senators to decide on convening the Senate committee of the whole to re-investigate the fertilizer fund scam.
Roxas, chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, said that with the arrest of former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn "Jocjoc" Bolante, an immediate Senate action based on existing resolutions that authorize his detention is required.
He said the convening of the Senate committee of the whole will allow the chamber to resume its re-investigation into the P720-million fertilizer fund scam allegedly masterminded by Bolante to aid the election campaign of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2004.
A warrant of arrest issued by the Senate food and agriculture committee in 2005 was served yesterday by members of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms against Bolante upon his arrival from the United States.
Roxas said senators have to discuss its legal defense for the enforcement of the warrant of arrest against the former agriculture official.
"Gina-question na sang abogado ni Joc-Joc sa Korte Suprema ang legalidad sang warrant of arrest nga ginpa-gwa sang Senado kontra sa iya. Kinahanglan mangin handa ang Senado para diri (The lawyer of Bolante has questioned the validity of the warrant of arrest before the Supreme Court. The Senate has to be prepared to defend its actions)," he said.
The Ilongo senator also reiterated his appeal to Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to file criminal charges against Bolante for his role in the fertilizer fund scam.
He expressed disgust that Gutierrez has sat on Bolante's case for more than two years after the Senate food and agriculture committee forwarded to the Ombudsman its recommendation that charges be filed against the former undersecretary and his cohorts.
"Gani nadulaan sing salig sa gobyerno ang mga pumuloyu tungod sang mga kaso pareho sini (The reason why the public has lost trust in government is because of cases like this)," Roxas said.