Bolante: Fertilizer scam issue like a broken record
ROXAS CITY – “I already answered it on television, radio and newspaper that not even a single amount of money went to my pocket, why do they keep on throwing me the issue? Parang sirang plaka na paulit-ulit,” Former Department of Agriculture (DA) Usec. Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante said here recently in reference to the controversial P728 million fertilizer scam.
Bolante made the statement in reaction to provincial administrator Mr. Zoe Herrera who said in a blocktime radio program recently that a plunder case is about to be filed against Bolante.
The former DA undersecretary told The News Today (TNT) that he is challenging Herrera to produce evidences then be the one to file plunder case against him before the Ombudsman.
Bolante, who spoke before some 1,300 supporters at the residence of Sapian Mayor Arturo “Turic” Orosco, Sr on Saturday also challenged anyone to do the same. He said that he is willing to give his house in Manila to anyone who could prove that he has benefited from the so-called fertilizer scam.
He added that Herrera’s statement might be based on the statement of Senator Richard Gordon calling him as guilty in which according to him, the senate has no power to prosecute and to determine whether he is guilty or not but only the courts
Agriculture Undersecretary for Plans and Program Joey Montes, who was present during the forum, said that Bolante had nothing to do with the P728 million fertilizer funds since he (Bolante) only approved the fund transfer from the DA Central Office to the local government units.
Montes said that the funds was fully audited by the Commission on Audit (COA) which later came out with its findings that the funds was not pocketed by Bolante.
Meanwhile, in reaction to Bolante’s statement, Herrera insisted that there was indeed plunder a case against Bolante however, the case was filed in the Ombudsman and is still not acted upon by Ombudsman Gutierrez.
Present during the symposium were: Mayor Orosco and wife Mrs. Evangeline Orosco, Ph.D, Vice Mayor Ralph Odrunia and members of Sangguniang Bayan (SB), Former City Councilor Mark Ortiz, Mambusao SB Member Jeffrey Layo, Dao Vice Mayor James Magbanua, Jamindan Former Vice Mayor Milo Robles, Mrs. Mimi Ardivilla, wife of Board Member Gilvert Ardivilla and Atty. Henry Reyes among others.