Saturday, February 04, 2006
Kasosyo data raise suspicion
By Elias O. Baquero
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
Kasosyo Foundation Inc., which received P6 million in fertilizer funds for two congressional districts, was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Manda-luyong City, Metro Manila on May 30, 2002.
In its articles of incorporation, Kasosyo said it will “help in the promotional programs/undertakings of government agencies, particularly in livelihood, health and education development.”
While its address was Minglanilla, Cebu at the time of registration, the general information sheet (GIS) filed with the SEC on March 31, 2004 stated its address as Room 102 of the Visayas Community Medical Center, the clinic of Rep. Antonio Yapha.
In a separate GIS, Wilfredo “Baby” Camomot was identified as president while Ofelio T. Pono, Nida P. Ordaniza, Abundio F. Elle and Monico G. Baron, all of Poblacion, Pinamungajan, Cebu, were the incorporators.
Pinamungajan is part of Cebu Province’s third district, which Yapha represents in Congress. It is also his hometown.
The congressman, however, has denied involvement in creating Kasosyo or in selecting its incorporators.
The foundation, though, is the same group that implemented the Kabir chicken dispersal program in the third district in August 2001.
This is the reason Department of Agriculture (DA) 7 Director Eduardo Lecciones said they chose Kasosyo Foundation to carry out the fertilizer program. He cited the group’s “good track record.”
Kasosyo Foundation also got the allocation for Cebu City’s south district, represented by Rep. Antonio Cuenco.
Eleven rural barangays in the city’s south had received liquid fertilizers in 2004.
Only three congressional districts in Cebu were allocated P3 million each for the fertilizer program: the third and second districts and Cebu City’s south district.
However, the Argao Municipal Government in the second district got only P1.8 million because it has yet to account for the money that spent to buy fertilizer from Atlas Fertilizer Corp.
The Senate committee on agriculture and food is looking into the alleged misuse of P728 million in fertilizer fund that the office of former DA undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante released shortly before the 2004 elections.
The committee, headed by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., fears the funds may have been spent for the election of President Arroyo, following reports that the fertilizers were overpriced by 800 to 1,000 percent.
During the Senate inquiry last Thursday, Flerida Jimenez of the Commission on Audit said the overpricing was noted specifically in the P97-million fund for the purchase of fertilizers from suppliers and the P160-million budget allocated for nongovernment organizations and people’s organizations.
Malacañang, upon the request of Bolante, made available to the DA the P728-million fertilizer fund and P544 million that came from sequestered Marcos family assets, which, under the law, should be used for agrarian reform. The funds were released between February and April in 2004.
Senate President Franklin Drilon yesterday urged the Office of the Ombudsman to look into the alleged scam.
His call was echoed by Cebu Provincial Government consultant Pablo John Garcia, the brother of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
Pablo John said it is time for the ombudsman’s office to probe into what he considers “obvious lying” of Yapha and the “very disturbing” inconsistencies of his statements with those of Lecciones.
Lecciones said he will furnish the media the entire records of the Kasosyo liquidation report, once the Commission on Audit completes its audit and review.
Lecciones said the DA may also conduct an on-the-spot count of farmer-beneficiaries.
For now, there is no word on how much the fertilizers cost and how Kasosyo Foundation made the purchase.
The SEC in Cebu has not received any complaints regarding the operation of Kasosyo Foundation.
“Our records show that the foundation legally exists, SEC regional manager Merle Cunanan told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
At the time Kasosyo was registered, it declared a total cash of P129,106.21 in members’ contribution: Camomot, P50,000; Ordaniza, P50,000; Pono, P10,000; Elle, P10,000; and Baron, P9,106.21.
Cunanan said Kasosyo was required to put up only P100,000 when it registered in 2002 because the P1-million requirement was only implemented in 2004, after the SEC discovered some fly-by-night foundations. (With JPM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 4, 2006 issue)
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