Sunday, November 02, 2008 Cabaero: Bolante’s body language By Nini B. Cabaero Beyond 30
SINCE his return to the country, Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante has spoken only by way of body language.
Whether sitting slumped on an airport chair keeping quiet despite the questions shouted by media at him or on a hospital stretcher with his left hand over his chest, the message Bolante has given so far is that he is weak, sick and unable to face the raps. His hair has turned white and he appeared several pounds lighter from when he left for the United States two years ago.
His body language could be deciphered to mean either defeat or submission to whatever criminal charges he would have to face, or laying the ground to buy him time to work out a strategy with allies.
Bolante returned to the country late Tuesday night last week after his request to the United States Government for political asylum was denied. Bolante had asked for official stay in the US for fear he would be persecuted should he be deported to the Philippines.
Bolante flew to the US in 2006 at the height of the Senate’s investigation into the alleged P728-million fertilizer fund scam. According to the allegations, he was behind the diversion of the funds to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s campaign kitty when she ran for election in 2004.
The Senate issued a warrant for his arrest and this was made the basis for the revocation of his US visa. He was arrested by US authorities on his arrival in Los Angeles after he was found in possession of a revoked US visa.
During his two years of detention at the Kenosha County Detention Center in Wisconsin, Bolante tried several times to ask for political asylum until the final decision of the US appellate court that there was no reason to delay his deportation.
Even the so-called P200,000 bounty put up by the Philippine Senate for his capture did not change the mind of the US appellate court as it ruled that, “even if the bounty still exists, it does not show any threat of long-term harm to Bolante; the sole purpose of the bounty is to secure Bolante's testimony before the Senate committee.”
What the US court saw may be lost on Philippine soil as some senators and President Arroyo said there was no more need for Bolante to appear before a Senate investigation.
Whatever body would hear Bolante’s side, whether it be the Senate or the Ombudsman, Bolante’s return to the Philippines is a chance for the truth to be known. Yet in the almost seven days since his return, no word has escaped Bolante’s mouth about the charges.
No doubt Bolante holds the key to finding the truth about the fund diversion that robbed farmers of much needed subsidies that would have benefitted their families and the country in terms of food security.
He has returned but his arrival has not answered the questions over his role in the controversy. His arrival merely raised more questions over what he and his backers may be strategizing for the time when Bolante would eventually have to open his mouth.
