Senate uncovers new P5-B DA diversion By Angie M. Rosales 09/30/2010

Senate uncovers new P5-B DA diversion
 
By Angie M. Rosales
09/30/2010

The Senate uncovered what is likely another diversion scam from the Department of Agriculture (DA) budget similar to the P728-million fertilizer fund anomaly but this time by a far bigger amount of P5 billion that should have been earmarked for farm-to-market road projects but instead was suspected to have been used as campaign money during the last elections.

“These are releases which appear to be election-related, like the fertilizer scam (in 2004), the funds were released to RFUs (regional field units). This is questionable since the releases were made in only two days, Feb. 22 and March 23, 2010, over P4.86 billion spread out in 13 regional offices of DA,” Senate finance committee chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon said.

We will try to find out where these funds went, said to be for farm-to-market roads and various infrastructure projects, Drilon added.

“Sen. (Juan Miguel) Zubiri, during the hearing, did bring out the fact that there were apparently dealers and brokers who would offer these amounts to the LGUs with certain cuts and certain commissions..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100930hed5.html