Bolante arrives at Senate for fertilizer fund mess probe

MANILA, Philippines - Former Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante arrived at the Senate grounds in Pasay City Tuesday morning, an hour before the resumption of the Senate hearing into the P728-million fertilizer fund mess. Radio dzBB's Nimfa Ravelo reported that Bolante went straight to the Senate clinic for a physical checkup. Doctors later declared Bolante fit to testify at the hearing, noting that his blood pressure was found to be "normal." Earlier, new Blue Ribbon chairman Richard Gordon promised a tougher grilling for Bolante who is tagged as the architect of the scam. During his initial appearance at the Senate hearing, Bolante denied irregularities in the Agriculture department's fertilizer program, and said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was not in any way involved in the program. Expected to attend Tuesday's hearing are Department of Agriculture regional directors, including: • Cipriano Santiago, Regional Field Unit (RFU) I; • Gumersindo Lasam, RFU II; • Redentor Gatus, RFU III; • Abelardo Bragas, RFU IV-A; • Antonio Gerundio, RFU IV-B; • Jose Daya, RFU V; • Larry Nacionales, RFU VI; • Ricardo Oblene, RFU VII; • Leo Caneda, RFU VIII. • Oscar Parawan, RFU IX; • Lealyn Ramos, RFU X; • Roger Chio, RFU XI; • Abusama Alid, RFU XII; • Ricardo Regis, RFU CARAGA; and • Cesar Rodriguez, RFU CAR. The Senate also summoned Ibarra Poliquit, Bolante's former chief of staff and DA Assistant Secretary, who has repeatedly defied the Senate's four subpoenas and one invitation by invoking Executive Order 464. "Poliquit's testimony is equally vital to the final closure of the fertilizer fund controversy as he personally received direct orders from Bolante himself," Gordon said. Poliquit, who now serves as vice president for physical resource office of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), purportedly requested the transfer of some P115 million in Regions IV, V and VII. Invited as resource persons for the hearing are lawyer Reynaldo Villar, Commission on Audit chairman; DA Assistant Secretary Felix Montes; and Kalibo, Aklan Mayor Raymar Rebaldo, allegedly one of the recipients of the funds. - Sophia Dedace and Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV