Press Release
November 28, 2008

ROXAS: JOCJOC BURIES HIMSELF DEEPER WITH HIS EVASIONS, LIES

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas said today's testimony by regional directors of the Department of Agriculture further strengthened the case against former DA undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante, who is now being probed for his role in the controversial P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

"We have established here that the regional directors did not ask for this project. At no time was this part of any kind of planning or projection or vision-mission-objectives-key result areas," said Roxas during today's Senate probe, where other officials of the DA confirmed DA Asec. Dennis Araullo's testimony that it was Bolante who contacted the DA regional heads on the fertilizer fund program.

"These regional directors are presumed to know the situation of each of their areas. None of them were asked, 'What is the best thing to do in your region?' None of them participated because the money already had specific recipients coming from the office of Undersecretary Bolante," he said.

The Ilonggo senator said that the evidence continued to mount against Bolante, who has been unable to adequately explain his real role and the involvement of higher officials in the project.

"Hanggang ngayon, pinipilit ni Joc-Joc ang kanyang istorya na wala siyang kinalaman, subalit lahat itong mga kawani ng DA ay nagsasabi na siya ang kausap nila tungkol sa palpak na proyektong ito (Until now, Joc-Joc is still forcing his story that he had nothing to do with this, despite the testimonies of the DA officials that they had spoken to Joc-Joc about this failed project)," he said.

Roxas said he would seek a copy of Bolante's statements of assets and liabilities from 2001 to 2005, which are filed with the Office of the President, to reveal any discrepancies between these and the money in his 23 bank accounts, all but five of which remain frozen.

"Saan naman galing itong pondo na ginamit para magbayad sa kanyang abogado ng libo-libong dolyar, at para sa pagbiyahe niya sa Estados Unidos at Europa? Sapat ba ang sweldo ng isang undersecretary para dito? (Where did these funds to pay his lawyer in thousands of dollars and for these trips to the United States and Europe come from? Is an undersecretary's salary enough for this?)" he said.

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