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  • hopeless_race : Lets not just focus sa mga malversation of funds, sa mga overpricing..ating pagtuunan ng atensyon ang diskarte ng mga politiko na umuutang ng bilyon bilyon sa gobyerno."Small time" ang ibang pamamaraan ng pangungurakot kumpara sa pag-utang sa gobyerno ng bilyon na tunay ngang masasabing "pinaka big-time" at wala pang sabit.
  • hopeless_race : Mukhang tikom ang bibig ng lahat pagdating sa diskarte ng mga politiko sa pagutang ng mga bilyon bilyon sa gobyerno na tinatakbuhan. Itong pamamaraan na ito ang tunay na kumakain ng malaking porsyento ng ating national budget batay na din sa sinasabi ng world bank.
  • hopeless_race : Pakisilip naman po ang mga utang ni Villar sa BSP, ang mga utang nila RAMON JACINTO, RONNIE ZAMORA, JOE DE VENECIA at madami pang ibang mga pulitiko. Iilan lamang yan sa mga nababanggit sa balita na may mga malalaking utang sa gobyerno.
  • hopeless_race : Nagmimistulang "small time" lamang ang malversation of funds kumpara sa laki ng kinakamal ng mga umuutang sa gobyerno. At ito ay malinaw na natatakbuhan dahil hindi nga naman pwede makulong ang may-ari ng kumpanya sa pagkaka-utang lamang. Tunay na mga tuso at magagaling sa batas itong mga politiko natin. Masasabi ko na malamang lahat ng mga politiko ganito ang diskarte...wala pang kulong.
  • hopeless_race : PCIJ pkitingnan naman po ang mga gaya ni Villar na my malaking utang sa Gobyerno pero tinatakbuhan. Magtatayo ng kumpanya at uutang ng bilyon bilyon sa gobyerno ng walang balak bayaran. Tunay ngang walang nakukulong sa utang...ito ang prinsipyo ginagamit ng mga politiko ntin kaya nakakapagtaka kung san napupunta ang daang bilyong pera ng gobyerno.
  • hopeless_race : Sana itreat naman po ng media ang hacienda luisita at mendiola massacre na parang MAGUINADANAO MASSACRE. Ipublicized ang mga katotohanan at ipakita sa tao ang karumaldumal na pinaggagawa sa mga farmers dun. Untouchable po ba sila cory at danding at hindi magawang batikusin ng media about these two massacres?
  • hopeless_race : Kapag napaguusapan ang mendiola at hacienda luisita massacre ay parang walang nangyari at parang hindi big deal. Anu po ba ang pinagkaiba ng dalawang nabanggit na massacre sa maguindanao massacre?
  • hopeless_race : Its sad that we pinoys are blind to the fact of what had happened in mendiola and hacienda luisita. Ang tanong..bakit ang media ay hindi manlang matackle ang ganitong usapin? Takot ba sila kay cory at danding?
  • hopeless_race : Wilkins" brand, for P1.4 billion.-1999 Sugarland Multi-Food Corp. for P2.9 billion 2001- Purefoods Corp P7 billion P60 billion Coca-Cola ... See More 2002- Cosmos Bottling Corp. from RFM Corp. for P14.1 billion October 2008- GSIS' shares in Meralco worth PHP30 Billion. December 2008- country's biggest oil refiner, Petron Corporation. international company shopping spree: Australian boutique brewer J. Boag and Son for A$96 million in 2000. $97 million for Thai Amarit Brewery Ltd $35.5 mi
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  • guest_899 : we must check the background of each potential candidates to avoid having another big mistake like GMA
  • guest_899 : congratulations to PCIJ, more power and God Bless !
  • jazzymuver : how did Arroyo swallow that kind of things!! how come that she just spend the money our countrymen for her own sake!!
  • guest_3664 : i would be glad if u can include the investigation of the manner public officials announce infra projects as per COA regulation. It is frustrating to see their faces on the tarpaulin instead of the prescribed information like name of project, date of implementation,amount of contract, source/s of fund, among other things. This is very rampant here in Marikina. Thanks and more power on your noble endeavors. We need people like you to have make our country great again.
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  • erika marie : P.S.:) my paper is due next week and i do hope someone could provide me these reports coming from reliable resources :) thank you ulit. :)
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  • guest_4275 : i am currently doing a study regarding political killings in the philippines. could someone out there please send me human rights reports under Aquino and Ramos administration. you could send it at my email: erikamariet@yahoo.com your response would surely be very much appreciated. thank you everyone. god bless.
  • guest_4275 : i am currently doing a study for my paper regarding political killings in the philippines. i noted that there are no human rights reports during the Aquino and Ramos administration. could someone out there please send me reports regarding these matter? i do hope these reports came from reliable resources :) you could send it in my email; erikamariet@yahoo.comyour response would surely be appreciated. thanks everyone. god bless.
  • jayson bourne : gusto ko po maging member ng PCIJ, panu po ba? may application po ba? sana mapadalhan nyo ako ng info sa email ko... www.jboxpenshoppe@yahoo.com
  • jayson bourne : cory is OK, but kris & Noynoy sensationalize masyado...
  • guest_9891 : LABAN pa rin!
  • meow : boycotts worked during marcos years. how about doing it now against the businesses of the con-ass congressmen?
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Senate links Arroyo to fertilizer fund scam

Posted by: Avigail Olarte | March 2, 2006 at 1:12 pm
Filed under: Arroyo Impeachment, Congress Watch, Investigative Reports

(UPDATED) IN a report released yesterday, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the Committee on Agriculture and Food said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should be held accountable for the mismanagement of the P728-million fertilizer fund.

The committees reported that testimonies showed the fund “was indeed used to assure her victory in the 2004 elections.”

In 2005, the PCIJ reported that the Department of Agriculture released nearly P3 billion during the 2004 campaign and was diverted to political allies of Arroyo. A portion of the money was also channeled to obscure private foundations and companies.

“To this date, no effort on her part has been made, no categorical denial was even heard,” the committees said, ” but all allegations and testimonies point to her benefiting the most in an intricate scheme of deception and fraud.”

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, however, said “there is nothing in the facts that links the President to the fertilizer fund.”

“The Senate report is a political harassment of the highest order, ” Bunye said, “We have nothing to hide but we will not stoop down to the level of media grandstanding.”

Below is the joint committee’s findings on the alleged involvement of Arroyo in the fertilizer fund scam:

The Committees recommend that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo must be held accountable in the mismanagement of the fertilizer fund and take it upon herself to institute measures to correct the flaws in her administration.

It bears knowing that a number of testimonies adduced during the hearings were that the fund was indeed used to assure her victory in the 2004 elections. Statements of lawyer Francisco Chavez, the various farmer organizations led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, and the positive declaration of Secretary Emilia Boncodin that the President may have knowledge on the Bolante requests for fertilizer funds stand and remain uncontested in the legislative records.

Cognizant of the presidential immunity and respect accorded to the Chief Executive, the accusations against her in the fertilizer fund scam is so serious that it places the position of the Presidency in the balance. The Palace looks at the issue as a mere political tool. Its refusal to cooperate violates the spirit of democracy, promotes tyranny and breeds the ground for instability it has in fact stirred.

Failure to disprove the charges, even resorting to shield those directly responsible for squandering taxpayers’ money, suggest her culpability and involvement in this unforgivable act made against our poor farmers. Her obvious indifference to examine the matter further and identify the irregularities surrounding the disbursement of the farmers’ fund is equivalent to breach of official duty by nonfeasance and inexcusable negligence of sworn obligation. In sum, the same may be labeled as betrayal of public trust in addition to the violations committed under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Law on Plunder.

Before taking on her official functions, the President makes a symbolic act before the nation and declares a solemn pledge to the people that the Constitution requires: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man and consecrate myself to the service of the nation x x x”

With this in mind, the committees urge the President to heed the clarion call of public service, encapsulated in the dignity of this oft-repeated maxim, that “a public office is a public trust.” The people should be given the opportunity of seeing the truth in “[t]he State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption.”

The committees challenge the President to break her silence and put together the pieces of the unfinished puzzle.

To this date, no effort on her part has been made, no categorical denial was even heard. But all allegations and testimonies point to her benefiting the most in an intricate scheme of deception and fraud. Only this much the committees of the Senate know: that the fertilizer fund was misused. It was corrupted. It was intended to assure her victory. Mrs. President, could it be true?

The committees demand the truth. The Filipino farmers deserve no less.



20 people have left comments

Congratulation Senate !!! Your’e one institution, the country needs , You’ve got independence, credibility and most of all, you got the balls. You stand by your principles, your duties. thank you for not failing us.

Now, my piece, When Ms. Boncodin declared that the President may have knowledge on the Bolante requests for fertilizer funds, she was just very civil/kind to GMA in using the word “may”. But for an ordinary person like me, believes, that release of such big amount will not materialise without the direct knowledge of the President. I would even surmised the use of such fund was carefully planned, studied para hindi mahalata at ma-iwasan ang sabit kung sakaling mabuko. It turn out clumsy, dahil sa pagmamadali siguro

Bolante did not do it on his own, I believed. Cito Lorenzo may also have the knowledge but he looked to the other side at nanahimik na lang. Sa makatuwid,may conspiracy and the plunder was pre-meditated.

Last night at CH 2, they’re talking about the FIREMEN. Kung hindi walang firetruck, kulang sa firetruck o sira ang firetruck, Walang uniforme o butas uniforme. Kulang sa ganito,walang ganito. Napakalungkot.. How many more government agencies who lack or does not have facilities? MALAYO PO, ANO, Nabanggit ko po ito dahil ang fertilizer fund ay Malayo din po sa original na intention ng pundong pinanggalingan.
Definitely po, Mrs. Arroyo, the cute little woman from Lubao, wife of Mike Arroyo ( friend of vicky Toh) who claims to be the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES is directly responsible and surely “accountable
for the mismanagement of the P728-million fertilizer fund” ,
Yan po ang paniiwala, ng abang blogger na ito.

With this development, will another Execctive Order be forthcoming? Maybe EO 464, PP1017 and Gen. Order No.5 are enough shield already? O baka naman sa sorang pagka-praneng mag-ML na.

lokalokang matino wrote on March 2, 2006 - 3:19 pm | Visit Link

now that the Magsaysay ang Arroyo committee released their report saying that kapal muks (gma) shall be held accoutable on the mismanagement od f the fertilizer scam, what’s next. I thonk the people of the philippines have to do their job too. whay im getting at is that legal means seems to be useless bcus of the judges of the SC who are mostly the lap dof of kapal miks (gma) the only menas to remove kapal muks is thru peoples power. the aff can’t do aythng if the poor people will unite to remove kapal muks (gma) from malacanang.

yahitsmhe wrote on March 2, 2006 - 3:52 pm | Visit Link

“The Senate report is political harassment of the highest order. There is nothing in the facts that links the President to the fertilizer fund. We have nothing to hide but we will not stoop down to the level of media grandstanding.”
- Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye

jojo wrote on March 2, 2006 - 3:56 pm | Visit Link

:chortle:

jojo wrote on March 2, 2006 - 3:56 pm | Visit Link

Sana lang mahiwalay ang spekulasyon/opinyon sa mga tunay na detalye para malinawan naman ang lahat. Sana ay maihiwalay ang personal na galit kay arroyo sa pag-iimbestiga ng kasong ito. Kung wala rin lang matibay na ebidensya na makakapagturo ng direktang pakikialam ng presidente dito, dapat di na sinasama sa report. Ang mga haka haka at pagtuturo sa masisisi kung walang matibay na basehan ay makakagulo lang sa pag-alam ng katotohanan. Ang nangyayari kasi (sa opinyon ko lang po), nagagamit na naman ang isyu para sa personal na hangarin ng ilang senador na masira ang imahen ng presidente. Nababahiran na naman ng pulitika ang rason.

Timtim2 wrote on March 2, 2006 - 4:27 pm | Visit Link

I’m wondering how lap dog Bunye sleep with all this hypocrisies he’s been doing? He knows and almost all the people know that kapak muks (gma) really cheats and he still have the guts to deny it!!!! Bunye mahiya ka naman!!! He must be receiving a lot of money from kapal muks (gma) to overcome his conscience. To all the lap dog of kapal muks (gma) your end will come. Isinusuka na kayo ng taong bayan yet you still cling to kapal muks (gma) where are your balls??? And to the Justices of the Supreme Court!!! Better have your balls cut if you can’t stand against kapal muks (gma) with the truth!!!!! For all the lap dogs of kapal muks (gma) did you know that even grade 1 kids already hate you… YOUR END WILL COME AND THAT’S VERY SOON!!!!!!!!

yahitsmhe wrote on March 2, 2006 - 4:37 pm | Visit Link

paano masasabi ni bunye na walang kinalaman si kapal muks sa scam na 2 eh siya nga ang nakinabang!!!! di ba marunong umintindi ng english ang lap dog na 2?? what concrete evidense do u still wan’t to know? the mere fact that she is the president, as she claims!!!! is already a big link that she’s involve in tthis scam. we have what we call command responsibility people!!!!! tsaka me sisirain pa ba sa image ng presidente nyo eh sirang sira na!!!!

yahitsmhe wrote on March 2, 2006 - 4:49 pm | Visit Link

I do not have faith with our sitting leaders anymore. They will do whatever they have to do just to cling to POWER.

I pity those OFWs who sacrificed their family by leaving them behind to the care of insensitive, corrupt and criminal minded leaders.

They earn cents and sometimes (or most of the time) abused abroad just to make a living for their family’s sake.

After this news comes out, now I decided to close shop.

I will now stop pumping money to my business and start laying-off my staff.

It is a very painful decision for I keep the business for 5 years even though it did not earn a substantial return every year but for the only reason of keeping my ever loyal staff (in times of trouble and prosperity) so that they will gain more knowledge, have something creative things to do, earn not so much and do not add to jobless statistics.

I lost the faith in our leaders and I do not want to invest my hard earned money anymore as long as they are sitting in power.

I am very sorry for my staff. I hope they will use the knowledge they learned from many hours of training they got from me. Use them wisely and share them to others. My wished is they find a descent job and not to be exploited by others.

Empowering our people by giving them tools to make a living instead of receiving alms, training them instead of exploiting them and preparing them to face the future bravely instead of being bullied and harassed is my greatest dream and passion. Sharing the fruits of my labour, teaching them in return what my elders taught me and seeing them happy and with full confidence in their desire to change for a better.

You have to destroy a society to create a new and progressive society.

We know them from the history of great old world and it is NOW our country’s turn. Tuloy tuloy na natin ito…

May God Bless Our Country!

tsinoy wrote on March 2, 2006 - 10:25 pm | Visit Link

Jojo, buti naman at post mo statement ni bunye. Well, what will you expect from bunye. Ako kasi mapa-radio and TV pag bungad pa lang ni bunye, off ko na or move to another CH or STN.

This person doesnt deserve an eye or an ear.

lokalokang matino wrote on March 3, 2006 - 11:50 am | Visit Link

According to Mr. Bunye, “The Senate report is political harassment of the highest order. There is nothing in the facts that links the President to the fertilizer fund.”

Really, Mr. Bunye! kaya pala nagkandarapa ngayon sa pag cover-up ang isa sa mga lackeys ni Mrs. Arroyo sa Mindanao.

LadyL wrote on March 3, 2006 - 2:13 pm | Visit Link

Tsinoy,

You’re one of the few Tsinoys in the Philippines that I’m proud of.

God bless you and your family more.

Tuloy ang laban. BANGON PILIPINAS, BANGON!!!

dsaint wrote on March 3, 2006 - 8:29 pm | Visit Link

mrs. president, the scheming senators are trying to destroy your GOOD IMAGE. please stop being apathetic. defend your GOOD NAME. please put to a stop all these political harassments against you. please break up your silence now and answer all the charges against you. the “hello garci” tape scandal, the fetilizer fund scam. don’t let your “friends” in the house block the impeachment raps against you. don’t hide under creeping ML? and eo 464. don’t shield your officials from testifying. please make an effort to answer these charges as you’ve pledged that you will have transparency in your govt. please stop the continuing dIvisiveness that is prevailing in the country now by breaking up your silence. remember that you have (correctly) prophesied for this continued divisiveness when you declared a long time ago that you’re not going to run anymore for the sake of unity. please clear your name now. please prove to your enemies that it’s them who’s destroying the country not you. please restore your GOOD IMAGE.

ayan ha, i will not be accused of being anti-gloria this time. pakiusap yan na may kasama pang dasal.

jr_lad wrote on March 4, 2006 - 1:28 pm | Visit Link

jr_lad

Mabuti yata ganyan, paki-usapan natin.

MADAME GLORIA, PLEASE RESIGN, NOW!!!! PLEASE!!!

lokalokang matino wrote on March 5, 2006 - 4:35 am | Visit Link

lokalokang matino, mas magandang makiusap na lang tayo. hindi pa tayo mapagbintangang destabilizer, conniving with the reds, sabotaging the economy, opposition, etc. etc. at para naman huwag ng ma-upset yang mga self proclaimed apathetic “silent” majority kuno at ng sa gayun ay makabalik na rin sila sa kanilang state of apathy.

jr_lad wrote on March 5, 2006 - 6:18 pm | Visit Link

[...] The P728-million fund was the subject of an inquiry conducted by the Senate Committee on Agriculture based on media reports which allege that the fund was used to purchase overpriced fertilizers. There were also allegation that the money was actually disbursed to various lawmakers and local government officials in 2004 and was used for the election campaign of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Former Solicitor General Frank Chavez also filed plunder charges against Arroyo alleging she used the fund for election purposes. [...]

INSIDE PCIJ: Stories behind our stories » What the COA didn’t say: Lawmakers behind NGOs in fertilizer funds scam wrote on April 12, 2006 - 3:15 pm | Visit Link

So Mr. Bunye claims that GMA is not accountable to the fertilizer scam! This guy must be thinking that the 80 million Filipinos are absolute idiots! This Masaganang Ani program of the Dept. of Agriculture is the biggest fraud launch against the already starving Filipino people. It is indeed the Masaganang Ani for Arroyo and her cohorts.

Cecile Impens wrote on April 13, 2006 - 2:11 am | Visit Link

[...] The pastoral letter said the findings of the Senate hearings on the fertilizer fund scam should also be fully disclosed. [...]

INSIDE PCIJ: Stories behind our stories » CBCP: Disclose Mayuga Report wrote on May 11, 2006 - 10:38 pm | Visit Link

[...] I for one, while an admirer of his cinematographic achievements (not the least of which is getting it on with Sunshine Cruz :D), would be mortified to see yet another actor with nothing to offer in the Senate. Particularly when said actor will be depending on the country’s coffers for his campaign: when asked where who will finance his campaign, Montano mentioned that it will partly be paid for by the administration. The same administration that pilfered PHP728 Million from the fertilizer funds that were supposed to go to farmers but instead spent it on Gloria’s re-election campaign. As curious as I am as to the identity of the next Garci, I wonder who the next Joc Joc Bolante will be. Because while Gloria may or may not watch much WWE, she does embody everything the late great Eddie Guerrero would say [...]

Far From Neutral Notions - Philippine politics, culture and stuff » Blog Archive » Desperation time: TEAM Unity taps actor Cesar Montano wrote on February 18, 2007 - 11:20 pm | Visit Link

[...] The Senate Committee on Agriculture and the Blue Ribbon Committee finished their investigation, and issued a report March 1, 2006. They recommended that charges be filed against Bolante, who is now incarcerated at the United [...]

Memo: Fairness, huh? « blog @ AWBHoldings.com wrote on September 14, 2007 - 3:04 pm | Visit Link

[...] was also recommended that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo be held accountable for the “mismanagement of the fertilizer fund.” The report further said: It bears [...]

The Daily PCIJ » Blog Archive » Welcome home, Joc-Joc wrote on October 27, 2008 - 10:30 pm | Visit Link

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