Senate to summon former NABCOR officials to pork probe

The Senate blue ribbon committee is inclined to summon two former officials of the state-owned National Agribusiness Corp. following their expose about lawmakers as well as media personalities allegedly pocketing money in the pork barrel scam.

In an interview aired on GMA News' “24 Oras” Wednesday evening, Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Teofisto “TG” Guingona said he is just waiting for notice from other senators before issuing subpoenas to former NABCOR officials Rhodora Mendoza and Victor Roman Cacal to appear at the next hearing on the pork barrel case.
 

Mendoza was NABCOR's former vice president for administration and finance, while Cacal was NABCOR's former general services supervisor.

“We're inclined to hear it (Mendoza and Cacal's testimony), why not... Kailangan lang muna 'yung resolution ma-refer sa blue ribbon committee, then we can go ahead (in inviting them to the hearing),” Guingona said.

On Tuesday, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago filed Senate Resolution 575 asking the blue ribbon committee to summon Mendoza and Cacal, citing that with the documents they possess, the two former NABCOR officials can shed light, “on the criminal involvement of the lawmakers implicated in the scam.” 

Mendoza and Cacal had earlier expressed intention to become state witnesses on the pork barrel case, “24 Oras” reported.

Mendoza, in September of last year, had already appeared before the blue ribbon committee and identified Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla Jr. as among lawmakers who funneled their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel fund to the bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) of now detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

Based on the documents recently submitted by Mendoza and Cacal to the Office of the Ombudsman, copies of which were obtained by GMA News, a total of P1,246,770,000 PDAF allocations were coursed through NABCOR by 83 lawmakers, including Enrile, Estrada, Revilla and former Senator Edgardo Angara from 2007 to 2010, of this amount, P925,372,225 was transferred by NABCOR to various NGOs including those of Napoles'.

Based on the documents of Mendoza, the bogus NGOs of Napoles that allegedly received funds from Nabcor were Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation, Inc. P141,802,500; People's Organization for Progress and Development Foundation, Inc. P22,575,000 and Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation, Inc. P210,119,850.

Enrile, Estrada and Revilla had earlier denied involvement in the pork barrel scam.

Meanwhile, Angara, who, based on Mendoza and Cacal's documents, allegedly allocated about P20 million of his PDAF to Napoles' fake NGOs, called the allegation as “unfair.”

Angara said he had already submitted pertinent documents to the Commission on Audit (COA) on how his PDAF were spent when he was a senator, “24 Oras” reported.

Angara also said fundings for his projects during his time as a senator were coursed not through NGOs but usually through implenting agencies of the government such as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and state universities and colleges. Angara also denied knowing Napoles, “24 Oras” reported.

Other lawmakers being implicated on the scam also denied the allegations.

“I just hope that I will not be a victim of trial by publicity. My office will fully participate in any investigation that will be conducted by any agency. I have nothing to fear for I have done nothing. A clear consciency is my only consolation,” said Youth Against Corruption and Poverty (Yacap) party-list Representative Carol Jayne Lopez in a press statement.

Based on the documents presented by Mendoza to the Office of the Ombudsman, Lopez allegedly allocated P29 million of her PDAF to fake NGOs.

Former congressman and now Oriental Mindoro Governor Alfonso Umali Jr. meanwhile confirmed that some of his projects during his time in the House were coursed through NABCOR, but said these projects were properly liquidated.

“Hindi ako kinakabahan kasi na-liquidate naman 'yan e. Ang dapat nag-vavalidate ng (mga project) 'yung mga implementing agency,” Umali said.

Meanwhile, blue ribbon committee member Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero expressed intention to invite media personalities who are also being implicated in the pork scam, “24 Oras” reported.

“Importanteng maging bahagi ang ating mga kababayan sa mga imbestigasyong tulad nito para 'yung public pressure o public vigilance laban sa corruption ay manatili,” Escudero said.

In a report of Philippine Daily Inquirer published on Wednesday, Mendoza and Cacal revealed that TV5 news anchor Erwin Tulfo and GMA's DZBB radio commentator Carmelo Del Prado Magdurulang each received P245,535 payoffs from Nabcor in the guise of “advertising expenses.”

Guingona, however, said Tulfo and De Prado cannot be summoned unless a resolution is filed.

In the PDI report, Tulfo had denied the allegation while Del Prado refused to comment pending GMA's own investigation on the case.

The DZBB is a radio station owned and operated by GMA Network. In a statement, GMA news anchor Mike Enriquez, who also heads the network's Radio Operations Group, said the station will conduct a thorough investigation on the allegation against Del Prado.

“GMA Network places the utmost importance on the professional and ethical conduct of all its personnel, particularly those engaged in news and public affairs. Any information regarding activity that runs counter to our core values and ethical standards is taken very seriously,” the statement said.

“In accordance with standard procedure, we will conduct a thorough investigation of any allegations of violations. Due process will be observed and we will ensure that full sanctions will be applied if determined to be necessary.” — Elizabeth Marcelo/ELR/KG, GMA News