ROXAS SEEKS SENATE CAUCUS ON DE LA PAZ, BOLANTE ACTION NEEDED BEFORE RESUMPTION ON NOV. 8

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today called on Senate President Manuel Villar to act swiftly on the warrant of arrest for former PNP comptroller Eliseo De La Paz and to call a caucus during the break to discuss the Senate's plans in relation to the return of former DA Usec. Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante, alleged mastermind of the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

"Dapat aksyunan kaagad ng Senado ang arrest warrant laban kay General De La Paz para humarap na siya sa amin sa Senado sa lalong madaling panahon. Kailangan ay makita ng taumbayan na mabilis ang aksyon ng Senado sa dalawang isyung ito (The Senate must act fast on the warrant of arrest against General De la Paz so he could be made to testify before us. The public wants to see fast action from the Senate on these issues)," said Roxas, vice-chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations probing the so-called "euro general" controversy.

He said even though the Senate committee on foreign relations is already circulating a report based on the first hearing last Thursday, another hearing can be set when De La Paz is brought before the committee.

"Ang pinakamalubhang ginawa ay ang paglabag doon sa General Appropriations Act, yung budget law. Malinaw po na nakasabi doon na kapag malapit mag-retiro ang mga opisyales, hindi na sila paggagastusan sa pagbiyahe. Ang dahilan dito, para hindi naman maaksaya yung pera, para mapapakinabangan ng taong bayan yung pagbiyahe ng mga opisyal (The most serious offense was the violation of the General Appropriations Act, the budget law. It clearly states that when an official is about to retire, their trips will not be financed. This is so that the money is not put to waste, so the people benefit as a result of the official's trips)," he said.

He criticized PNP Director-General Jesus Versoza and DILG Sec. Ronaldo Puno for failing to provide a consistent answer regarding the source of the 105,000 euros seized from De La Paz in Moscow after attending an anti-crime conference.

"Noong una, sabi nila contingency fund ito. Noong nalaman na wala namang contingency, sabi naman nila na cash advance ito. Ang pangatlong kwento nila, ay para sa pagbili ng intelligence equipment. Sa pagbabago-bago ng istorya, lalong lumalabo ang isyu (First, they said this was a contingency fund. When it was learned that there was no contingency, they said it's a cash advance. Their third story is that the money was for intelligence equipment. With all these changes in their stories, the issue gets muddled)," he said.

"Kapani-paniwala ba na kapag bumili ka ng equpiment, ay bitbit ang cash sa bag ng asawa ng heneral? Pangalawa, hindi ba dapat sang-ayon sa Procurement Law ang pagbili nitong mga equipment? At pangatlo, bakit si De La Paz, isa nang retirado, ang siyang bumibili nito? (Is it believable that when equipment is bought, cash is put in a bag held by a general's wife? Second, shouldn't purchases of equipment follow the Procurement law? Third, why is De La Paz, a retired official, doing the purchases?" he added.

The Ilonggo senator also urged Villar to call a caucus of all senators even during the legislative break, in anticipation of the arrival of Bolante, early this week. The Senate had previously released its findings linking Bolante to the fertilizer fund scam, but this has not been acted on by the Office of the Ombudsman up to the present.

"Mahalaga na may plano ang buong Senado para sa pagdating ni Joc-Joc. Kasama rito ay kung kailangan pa bang mag-isyu uli ng warrant of arrest laban kay Bolante, o kung epektibo pa rin ang na-isyu noong 13th Congress? At ano ang pwede naming gawin para siguruhin na hindi multi tatakas itong si Joc-Joc? (It's important for the entire Senate to plan for the arrival of Joc-Joc. Included here is determining if there's a need to issue another warrant of arrest against Bolante, or if the one issued in the 13th Congress is still effective. And how do we make sure that Joc-Joc doesn't escape again?)," he said.

"Ano pa ba ang hinihintay ng Ombudsman sa kaso ni Bolante? Kailangang maipakita ni Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez na hindi siya tuta ng Malacañang (What is the Ombudsman still waiting for in Bolante's case? Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez should show she isn't a lapdog of Malacañang)," he added.