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Saturday, February 04, 2006
Editorials: Nothing new in fertilizer fund issue
Reports that part of the controversial fertilizer funds was disbursed last year to three districts in Cebu may be titillating, but information that has come out in the media so far is not enough to link the congressmen concerned to any irregularity.
Even the Department of Agriculture (DA) 7, which identified the constituents of Reps. Antonio Cuenco, Antonio Yapha and Simeon Kintanar as the funds’ beneficiaries, didn’t divulge anything much for one to be definite that the transaction was anomalous.
It would be wrong to conclude, however, that the deal was on the level, it’s just that there is really a need to dig some more into the matter. Meanwhile, what makes the issue interesting for us is that it sucks Cebu into the probe being conducted by the Senate on the fertilizer funds controversy and brings to mind other anomalous transactions uncovered by the media and other concerned entities.
But that is only as far as we can go there, too, because in the end, there is also nothing really new about public funds possibly lining up the pockets of corrupt government officials or even used to prop up the campaign of candidates in an election.
Even reports that officials of the foundation where part of the fertilizer funds was coursed through have links with Rep. Antonio Yapha are no longer surprising considering the previous instances of congressman-non-government organization tie-ups.
Still, for whatever it is worth, investigation on the matter should be pursued and the anomalies (if there are any) and the people involved in them exposed and penalized.
What about CentCom?
In going after those who coddled Navy Capt. Nicanor Faeldon when he was still on the run, Armed Forces officials indirectly confirmed the truth of some of Faeldon’s claims that he posted in his website.
Before Faeldon was rearrested, Armed Forces officials have denied the Navy captain’s claim that he was able to enter the military’s major camps without being arrested because he had gotten the support of some of his fellow soldiers.
The line was that the photographs and video clips posted on the website were either old or were doctored, which was belied by the recent arrests of some soldiers who reportedly allowed Faeldon to enter the Western Command.
This should prod a reassessment of the Armed Forces’ claims on the extent of support renegade military officials are receiving from the men in uniform.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 4, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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