Pangasinan agri officer: Kits cited in Enrile PDAF graft cases didn’t reach beneficiaries

A retired municipal agricultural officer (MAO) from Natividad, Pangasinan on Tuesday testified before the Sandiganbayan that his municipality did not receive the agricultural packages and kits named in the 15 counts of graft filed against former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, his former chief-of-staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, businesswoman Janet Napoles, and others.

Pablo Malla, who was a municipal agricultural officer (MAO) of Natividad from 2007 to 2009 and a municipal agriculturist of the same municipality from 2009 until his retirement in June 2020, told the anti-graft court that Natividad did not receive agricultural packages and kits named in the graft raps involving Enrile’s pork barrel or discretionary fund from years 2008 to 2009.

According to Malla’s judicial affidavit adopted as his direct testimony for the graft cases, the items were supposed to be sent to Natividad with the support of the non-government entity Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc. and the state-run National Agribusiness Corporation.

“[As MAO in the said years], I have the capacity to receive them, if there is such to be received,” Malla, 57, said during the cross-examination of Napoles' counsel Rony Garay, who asked the prosecution witness if he is in a position to know if the subject agricultural products and kits indeed did not reach Natividad.

“I have no document [showing] that we received them. We have not received the agricultural products and kits in 2008 to 2009,” Malla added.

Garay still pressed Malla if there is other documentary evidence which would prove that Natividad, Pangasinan did not receive the agricultural products and kits other than his testimony.

Malla, however, was unfazed.

"It is within the capacity of the MAO to receive such, if there are indeed packages to be received," said Malla.

Garay then asked Malla if he has a record of the packages received by his office during the covered period.

Malla answered that the office has a logbook which keeps such records, but he does not have the logbook at the moment since he is testifying via video conference in his residence in Natividad.

“I am at home, your honors. I am not in the office. I am not sure where to look for the logbook in the office because I have been retired since 2020,” he said.

Prior to the cross-examination, the prosecution and defense panels stipulated agreed that Malla was not aware where the Office of the Ombudsman obtained the documents shown to him stating that Natividad, Pangasinan supposedly received such agricultural packages and kits. — BM, GMA Integrated News