Press Release
February 23, 2009

ROXAS: FERTILIZER SCAM REPORT CONFIRMS
SYNDICATED CORRUPTION

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today said the Senate blue ribbon committee report on the P728 million fertilizer fund scam at the Department of Agriculture illustrates the system of syndicated corruption within the government that flourished under President Arroyo.

"Ang katiwalian sa gobyerno ay paulit-ulit na nating napatunayan, at itong fertilizer scam na ito ay ipinakita kung paanong manipulahin ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan ang sistema para manakawan nila ang kaban ng bayan (We have proven again and gain corruption in government, and the fertilizer scam showed how officials manipulate the system to rob the coffers of the government)," Roxas said.

The Ilonggo senator said Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez should resign for failing to prosecute former DA Undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante for allegedly masterminding the diversion scheme.

He stressed that overwhelming evidence - both direct and circumstantial, and documentary and testimonial - have been gathered by the committee against Bolante, giving no space for Gutierrez to claim that her office needs additional proof to pin down the former DA official.

"Inimbestigahan na ito nung nakaraang Kongreso, at inimbestigahan itong muli ng blue ribbon committee. Parehas lang naman ang naging rekomendasyon ng Senado -- ang kasuhan si Bolante ng plunder. Ano pa ba ang kailangan ng Ombudsman? (This issue has been investigated by the previous Congress and again, by the blue ribbon committee. The findings are the same, to charge Bolante with plunder. What is the Ombudsman waiting for?)," he asked.

"Mahalagang maipakulong natin ang mga taong nagnakaw sa taumbayan. Mahalagang maipakita natin sa ating mga kababayan na ang batas ay pantay-pantay para sa lahat, mahirap man o mayaman, may impluwensiya man o wala (It is important that we make sure that people who steal from the people are sent to jail. It is important that we show to our citizens that the law is applied equally to all, there is no such thing as a law for the rich or the poor, or the influential or not)," he also said.

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