Bolante dares Magsaysay to show proof or make public apology
ROXAS CITY – Former Department of Agriculture Usec. Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante, who is running for governor under the ticket of Ugyon Kita Capiz (UKC), challenged Former Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. to show proof that he (Bolante) signed any checks in connection with the alleged P728 fertilizer scam funds or else he has to make a public apology for telling a lie.
Bolante reacted on the news item published in a regional newspaper (not The News Today) that he signed checks forwarded to politicians who were recipients of the fertilizer funds.
“I did not sign, not even one check in favor of the P728 million fertilizer fund,” Bolante said in a text message.
According to him, said fund was released by different regional offices of the DA after they have validated the projects of local government units concerned. Commission on Audit (COA) and DA report are very clear on the fact, he said.
He added that Magsaysay should be ashamed himself for going to the extent of lying adding that it is a cheap character assassination and desperate political ploy.
“He should apologize to the people for lying for instigating anger through the use of false information,” Bolante added.
Last week, Magsaysay was the guest at the Rotary Club of Metro Roxas Central held at MVW where he campaigned against Bolante not to be voted by fellow Cepiceños for the latter was involved in the fertilizer fund scandal and will be charged of plunder if Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Sen. Mar Roxas are elected into office as president and vice president, respectively.
Magsaysay, who endorsed Aquino and Roxas as his bets, said that Bolante will be charged of plunder case in the first 100 days in office of the Aquino-Roxas tandem.
“Would you like that your next governor will be charged of plunder?” Magsaysay asked adding that Bolante should not be voted in May 10, 2010 election.
In series of interviews, Bolante said that he already answered all issues against him in connection with the P728 million fertilizer fund scam.
Bolante, who is running for governor against Liberal Party (LP) bet Gov. Victor Tanco, Sr, also accused his critics as broken record for repeating the fertilizer’s fund scam against him adding that issues are “politically motivated”.
According to him, there is no strong evidence against him and not even a single centavo went to his pocket relative to the fertilizer scam adding that the Senate has no jurisdiction to investigate any criminal in the Senate.
But Magsaysay, being a former chair of committee on agriculture in the Senate, said that he has strong evidences against the former Agriculture Usec.
He also said that the fertilizer funds were not received by the farmers but by few politicians.
