MORE NEWS, IFUGAO

Ifugao got P13M from fertilizer ‘fund scam’
By Juan B. Dait, Jr.

LAGAWE, IFUGAO – This highland province has received a total of P13-million from the P728-million fertilizer “fund scam” but the P5-million reportedly given to Gov. Teodoro B. Baguilat, Jr. was actually deposited in the Local Provincial treasury in two tranches before the March 11, 2004 National Elections and used to purchase liquid fertilizer and farm implements after the 2004 electoral defeat of Baguilat.

The first tranche of P3.25-million was exclusively used to buy 1,680 liters of liquid fertilizer from a supplier from Cabanatuan City, at the grossly-overprized cost of P1,800.00 per liter.

The second tranche of P1.75-million was used to purchase agricultural implements like micro tillers and spray cans, according to Abe Lunag, program director of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani in Ifugao.

The winning bidder of the liquid fertilizer, Central Luzon Farmers Agro Center of Cabanatuan City, delivered the fertilizer, under the brand name “Algafer”, even before the bidding was conducted, Lunag revealed.

Ifugao Provincial Auditor Florence Paguirigan said in an interview that based on the records of the fertilizer fund scam, then Governor Baguilat had no involvement in the disbursement of the funds.

The COA official disclosed that certain officials of the Ifugao provincial
government had allowed themselves to be manipulated by the liquid fertilizer supplier who had strong connections with ranking agricultural officials in Manila.

Paguirigan said her office was still looking into the disbursement of the P3.25-million released to the municipality of Hingyon and the P1.75-million released to the municipality of Mayoyao. The funds given to the two municipalities were also used to purchase liquid fertilizers, she said.

As to the P3-million given to Congressman Solomon Chungalao, it was gathered that the fund was used to purchase shredding machines for organic fertilizer production in several Ifugao municipalities.