Press Release
February 26, 2009

Gordon welcomes 'minority report' on fertilizer fund scam

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon today welcomed the Senate minority bloc's plan to come out with a "minority report" on the P728-million fertilizer fund scam allegedly engineered by former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante.

Gordon, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon panel, said he appreciates the minority bloc's reported plan to submit their own report on the fund scam because it would show that they are with the majority in wanting to fight corruption in the government

"All initiatives to address loopholes in our laws, particularly in curbing corruption in the government, are most welcome," he said.

"Such plan reaffirms that the Senate is indeed a deliberative body under our modern democracy," he added.

Gordon welcomed the minority bloc's plan even as majority of the senators have already concurred with the findings and recommendations contained in the blue ribbon panel's committee report on the fertilizer scam.

Aside from Gordon, those who signed and approved the report were Senators Gregorio Honasan, Ramon Revilla Jr., Edgardo Angara, Panfilo Lacson, Jamby Madrigal, Mar Roxas, Loren Legarda, Lito Lapid and Jinggoy Estrada.

In coming up with a separate concurring and dissenting opinion, Sen. Joker Arroyo commended Gordon for the straight forward manner that he handled and closed the inquiry.

According to him, there was "no cogent reason" not to extend his concurrence.

Arroyo, former chairman of the blue ribbon panel who, along with former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay, chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, conducted an earlier inquiry on the same subject matter during the 13th Congress.

However, he disagreed with the proposed amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Law (AMLA), adding that the problem is not the law itself but in its enforcement and was hence constrained to submit a qualified dissent on the remedial legislation.

For her part, Legarda said that while the report is only recommendatory, it has great persuasive power on public opinion.

Meanwhile, Biazon said he is satisfied with the committee report and that people are already being held accountable because the blue ribbon panel is all about the accountability of public officials.

The Senate panel released a 130-page committee report last Monday which contained the recommended charges against Bolante, as well as against businessman Jaime Paule and his group; and proposed amendments to four laws, which included the Omnibus Election Code and the Government Procurement Act.

The panel recommended the filing of charges against Bolante and the others after it has gathered sufficient documentary and oral evidence against them. Bolante was tagged as the "Alpha wolf" and Paule and his group, the "wolf pack."

Though there was no evidence directly linking President Arroyo to the fund scam, Gordon said the doctrine of qualified political agency called for her explanation as to how a mere undersecretary could have authorized the release of such a large amount at an astonishing speed.

He also denounced the Ombudsman, and the Departments of Budget and Management (DBM) and Agriculture (DA) for being remiss in their duties, adding that the DBM and the DA did not exercise monitoring and supervision to ensure that the fund was not wasted or stolen.

Gordon also urged the Ombudsman to go after those who are accountable and to act on the other cases, such as the P535-million that has yet to be accounted for.

News Latest News Feed