Marinduque Province News September 2011

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Ex-governor insists she had no hand in P728-M fertilizer scam

by JOHN CONSTANTINE G. CORDON


FORMER governor Carmencita Reyes of Marinduque pressed that the agricultural equipment she received were “donations” from the Department of Agriculture (DA), contradictory to claims that it was her administration that bought the machines which were allegedly sourced from the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

Reyes, then Marinduque governor when the agriculture department’s Farm Inputs and Farm Implements Program was implemented in 2004, stands charged before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan for illegal use of public funds and technical malversation.

“[The charges were] farthest from truth. [I] made a written request to the DA in behalf of [Marinduque],” Reyes said, adding that the agricultural shredders she received were asked “upon request.”

When Reyes received the machines after writing a request to DA in April 2004, she “simply thanked the DA for its donation.”

The former provincial chief asked the Sandiganbayan to hold her arraignment in abeyance and to determine if there is probable cause in her case because she was not part of the bidding nor the purchase of the equipment.

“The process by which these machines were purchased and the corresponding process by which the funds were disbursed was beyond [my] authority and control,” Reyes said.

She added in her seven-page motion that it was not her or her provincial staff that bought the shredders which turns waste to organic fertilizers. She reiterated that the funds used to buy (those equipment) was “not under [my] administration, but of the DA.”

“The funds did not pass through the Treasury of Marinduque. These funds remained with and were disbursed directed to the suppliers by the DA, the implementing agency,” Reyes said.

The former governor said that the letter to the DA could not be used against her as it did not instruct DA to transact with LCV Design and Fabrication Corp., the makers of the shredders.

When Reyes mentioned LCV in the letter she said it was only to describe the kind of machines that Marinduque needs to avail.

“The letter simply requests the DA to help the province to obtain ‘said or similar machines,’” Reyes said.

“[I] did not benefit from the donation. [My] letter . . . was a mere letter request addressed to the Regional Director of the [DA] . . . Nowhere in the said letter was anybody forced to or promised a reward to grant [my] request,” Reyes added.

She said that the conspiracy established against her with her co-accused is only a “circumstantial evidence based on pure speculation and conjecture.”





Re-investigation of Ortega murder ordered

by Hector Lawas


THE Department of Justice ordered a reinvestigation into the killing of Palawan broadcaster Gerry Ortega after it granted the request of his family seeking the indictment of former governors Joel Reyes of Palawan and Jose Antonio Carrion of Marinduque.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima issued Department Order No. 710 creating a new panel to conduct another preliminary investigation of the murder case.

The charges were filed by Ortega’s widow Patria Gloria against Reyes, Carrion and other respondents.

This developed as Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, counsel of Reyes, said the result of the reinvestigation will still be the same -- that his client Reyes is innocent.

Reyes welcomed the DoJ order saying all means must be exhausted to bring the perpetrators behind bars.

The new panel is composed of Assistant State Prosecutors Stewart Allan Mariano, Vimar Barcellano and Gerard Gaerlan.

De Lima said the reinvestigation will address the offer for additional evidence by the complainants earlier denied by the first panel on Sept. 2.

The denial was based on the ground that an earlier resolution had already been promulgated prior to the filing of the complainants.

De Lima said she opted to use her plenary power in ordering a reinvestigation instead of waiting the possible petition for review from the complainant.

Her move voided a decision of the former panel dismissing the complainants’ motion seeking reinvestigation of the case.

HRET junks electoral protest vs Marinduque lawmaker

by Sophia Dedace/RSJ, GMA News


The House of Representatives Electorial Tribunal (HRET) has upheld the victory of Lord Allan Velasco as representative of Marinduque province's lone district in the May 2010 elections.

In a decision released to media on Friday, the tribunal dismissed the election protest filed by losing congressional bet Edmundo Reyes II, who contested Velasco's victory.

The tribunal said Reyes was unable to prove he was cheated of victory and that he relied only on the certificates of canvass and the statement of votes to claim he is the rightful winner.

"There was no testimony from any member of the Board of Election Inspectors of the clustered precincts nor from any watcher or voter to prop up the claim of fraud and irregularities," the tribunal said.

The HRET's recount of votes cast in Marinduque's pilot precincts also showed that Velasco won by 4,146 votes — 39 votes higher than what was counted last year.

Under its rules, the tribunal can dismiss a poll protest if there is no reasonable number of votes favoring the protestant — in this case, Reyes — recovered from the pilot precincts.

In its decision, the HRET said Reyes failed to show ballot irregularities and discrepancies that would alter the official results of the congressional race.

Libel case vs journalist

Velasco is the son of Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., who recently scored a legal victory against veteran journalist Marites Vitug.

Recently, the Manila City Prosecutor's Office approved the filing of libel charges against Vitug, who wrote an article that supposedly maligned the magistrate's name.

The story explored how Velasco allegedly peddled his influence over local officials in Marinduque to support his son's congressional bid.

The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 39 is handling the libel suit against Vitug.

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