Friday, November 21, 2008 Villanueva ready to testify on fertilizer scam
BAIS CITY, Negros Oriental -- Mayor Hector "Tata" Villanueva said he is willing to appear before the Senate's investigation on the fertilizer scam, being among those offered the P5 million fund.
The mayor said he too was offered P5-million fertilizer fund.
He said few months before the 2007 elections, a man he claimed to be from the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) approached and offered him P5 million as fertilizer fund.
He said the person from DA told him to sign the P5 million voucher and get 25 percent special operating procedure (SOP).
The mayor said he rejected the offer and immediately went out of his office and entertained some senior citizens who were waiting for him at that time.
"Giingnan gud ko nga kabalo na man ka mayor nga kuhaan gyud ni ug 25 porsiyento (I was told that the 25 percent cut is already SOP)," the mayor quoted the man as saying.
This is aside from the fact that the fertilizer they are supposed to give is intended for ornamental plants and not for rice or vegetable, which he said is more useful for his city.
In refusing the offer, he just gave the man as a response a "lovely smile."
Villanueva also said he did not believe that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo benefited from the alleged controversial fertilizer scam. (EBS)
