NABCOR's P300M used as election funds – former official 

A former official of the National Agribusiness Corp. on Wednesday claimed former Agriculture secretary Arthur Yap and some congressmen used P300 million of the company's special public fund for their personal expenditures during the 2007 midterm polls.

Former NABCOR Vice President for finance Rhodora Mendoza said the company's president, Alan Javellana, had asked her to distribute the funds, according to a report on “24-Oras” on Wednesday.



“Nabanggit niya sa akin na election money 'yun. Support [for them] because they'll be running sa election and at the same time protection na rin,” Mendoza said.

She said she was instructed in 2007 by Javellana to take P50 million from the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani program which she understood was for Yap's electoral campaign.

Mendoza also said that Javellana told her Yap needed the funds for his campaign. The midterm polls were conducted on May 14, 2007.

She added that aside from the P50 million for Yap, she personally handed out P1 to P2 million to representatives of some legislators at the NABCOR office.

“Tatawagan ko si Mr. Javellana to get confirmation na kung 'yun ba yung tao na pinadala ni legislator and then 'pag na okay na siya tatawagan ko rin yung legislator kung ire-release ko na or ibibigay ko na and iko-confirm na 'yun nga yung taong pinadala niya,” she said.

Meanwhile, Victor Cacal, also a former NABCOR official, corroborated Mendoza's statements in their joint affidavit.

According to Cacal the nongovernment organizations NABCOR was providing funds for were handpicked by the Department of Agriculture.

“Walang bidding so kailangan mag-appear na merong bidding. Pangalawa kailangan magkaroon ng justification bakit pinili 'yun,” he said.

“So, dahil ang pera ay nalagak sa NABCOR, naging responsiblidad ng NABCOR 'yun kahit na ang pumili ng NGO [ay DA], kung baga kailangan namin supportahan yung pagpili ng DA,” he added.

Cacal, Mendoza and Javellana are among the 38 government officials and lawmakers facing plunder raps before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the pork barrel scam.

GMA News Online is still trying to reach Yap for comments. — Andrei Medina /LBG, GMA News