Press Release
April 15, 2009

Gordon vows Senate probe on Lasam's assassination

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon today vowed to initiate a Senate investigation to ascertain whether the murder of Agriculture Undersecretary Gomersindo Lasam is linked with his knowledge on the alleged P728-million fertilizer fund anomaly..

Gordon, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, made the avowal as he condemned in the strictest sense the assassination of Lasam, the latest victim who has been killed for their involvement in the anomalous fertilizer project.

"It is grossly alarming that another agriculture official who presumably has knowledge about how the fertilizer fund scam was carried out by callous individuals is once again silenced permanently," he said.

Lasam, 63, was shot dead on broad daylight on his way alone to a farm in Solana, Cagayan Tuesday morning by two motorcycle-riding assailants.

Gordon said this is not the first time that an official or employee of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who has knowledge on anomalies in the agency had been ambushed.

In 1989, DA regional seed coordinator Geronimo Provido was gunned down in his own home by two unidentified men, two months after he reported that DA Region 12 officials had purchased overpriced seeds,.

Marlene Esperat and Teofilo Mojica. who were also former employees of the DA, were both murdered. Their deaths are believed to be connected with their knowledge about some irregularities in the department.

Meanwhile, Lasam had testified before the Senate hearings on fertilizer fund scam last Nov. 25 and 27 on his capacity as former DA executive director for Region II.

"Aside from their connection with the DA, another thing in common among Esperat, Mojica, Provido and Lasam is their exposé on corrupt practices and other anomalies in the department," Gordon said.

"Lasam had testified that former agriculture undersecretary (Jocelyn) Bolante had a direct hand in the implementation of the controversial project. With his assassination, we wonder whether Lasam knew more than what he testified before," he added.

In his affidavit, Lasam testified that Bolante was directly involved in the implementation of the controversial Farm Inputs and Farm Implements project from which was sourced the funds used in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

Lasam's affidavit states that by virtue of a Memorandum issued by then Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo on March 16, 2004, Bolante was instructed to expedite the implementation of the farm implements project.

The memorandum said that all requests for fund assistance under the project would be subject to Bolante's assessment, evaluation, and approval.

Lasam further testified that Bolante issued a Memorandum on March 17, 2004 instructing him to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with Local Government Units (LGUs).

The Memorandum stated that the regional executive director (Lasam) is authorized to sign and effect the payment to the said LGUs subject to availability of funds and other requisites.

Gordon also said Lasam's assassination is an indictment against the DA as an institution that it cannot protect its people who expose anomalies in the department..

"The killers of Provido, Esperat and Mojica remain at large. The masterminds have not been unmasked. A government that allows criminals run scot-free and turns its back on the oppressed has brought our people to ruin," he said.

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