MANILA - President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III said former Agriculture secretary Luis Lorenzo may turn state witness in the alleged P728-million fertilizer fund scam.
On Wednesday, Aquino conducted his first MalacaƱang press briefing to answer queries surrounding his one-week-old government.
Among the issues he dealt was the involvement of Lorenzo as one of the signatories in the controversial fertilizer fund scam, wherein funds intended for farmers were allegedly used in the 2004 election campaign of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The President admitted that he was surprised when he met Lorenzo over the weekend during the party of Boy Montelibano, the husband of his campaign media bureau head Maria Montelibano.
He said he talked to Lorenzo for about two to three minutes, which Lorenzo also confirmed.
"I did not have an occasion to talk to him extensively when we met (in an event) but I told him 'I have a lot of questions for you' but I think it is not the proper time and I am not sure if I am the proper authority to ask him all of the relevant question," said Aquino.
It was learned that Lorenzo's family has contributed to his triumph last May 2010 elections. His brother, Martin Lorenzo, reportedly gave P20 million to Aquino's campaign. Martin also was Aquino's batch mate in Ateneo high school.
But Aquino assures that he will not give a kid-glove treatment to Lorenzo.
"But whether will I go soft on him, no," he said.
Aquino also said that he appealed to Lorenzo during the party to reveal all he knows about the case but Lorenzo only smiled in response.
The President said it was the first time that he saw and met Lorenzo since the former secretary went on a self-imposed exile abroad following the controversy. "At the end of the day, we did promise total closure on the issue, among others, of fertilizer fund scam."
Lorenzo, for his part, said in a television interview that he is willing to testify and reveal what he knows about the case, stressing that he did not personally benefit from the funds that were supposed for farmers.
He also admitted that there were threats on his life because of the case but he assured he will testify in appropriate time.
Aquino also said that in the Senate and House of Representative then, they had offered to protect Lorenzo, acknowledging the risks to him and his family if he reveal what he knows.
"If he has damaging info on certain parties, then the revelation of the same will serve as some sort of safeguard for his own safety."
Aquino believes that the former Cabinet official of his predecessor wanted to come home earlier since it is not easy to live in exile.
The President said he even had two occasions of meeting Lorenzo's emissary, citing he was fearing for his physical and his family's safety.
Lorenzo, along with former Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, both accused and had been charged in the case, left the country in 2006 to avoid testifying over the fertilizer scam.
DOF proposal
Meanwhile, another issue Aquino tackled in his first press briefing was the new proposal of the Department of Finance (DOF) to use the Internet in pursuing tax evaders and smugglers.
Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said Wednesday that they are setting up innovative ways in dealing with erring tax payers and stop smuggling and corruption in the country.
"We are already setting up several ways of contacting us. First, through the Internet. We will announce when this will be up. So ise-setup natin 'yon para sa website o sa Twitter o sa Facebook, pwedeng mag-complain also through SMS," Purisima said.
Through this, it will now be easier for them to hear complains of ordinary people and go after irresponsible individuals even government officials, he added.
Sought for reaction, Aquino said he is supportive to the program of Purisima since it could be of great use in curtailing corruption.
"All of these eyewitnesses could give us lead and all of these activities should be stopped. So yung ability to use the Internet or Facebook could help them monitor and other means so that we can get timely and useful information," he said.
The President meanwhile cautioned about the use of the Internet and advised the DOF to make sure about the information that they will be getting in the net.
"We would want to be able to validate the material to be used. Posting in the Internet will not guarantee which material will help in governance. Actually there are a lot of people with tends of civic duty will undoubtedly help us. It is really a question of fine tuning," said Aquino. (Jill Beltran/JMR/Sunnex)