NEWS: Way Kurat admits receiving P3 M Bolante’s fertilizer

nov 17

On his birthday yesterday, Compostela Valley Congressman Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora (1st District) admitted yesterday that he also received the controversial Bolante fertilizer but in August 2004, after the May 2004 polls.

“It was all duly accounted for and I even issued memorandum receipts to the recipient barangay captains,” he said.

“I have my list of recipients, and I wish I’ll be the first one to be called in the investigation so that I’ll be exonerated,” he added.

He said that it was not P3 million money that he received but fertilizers, “katong naa sa one litro, liquid”. 

In a press conference after lunch and amid an ongoing birthday celebration held tophill of his Octagon farm park nestling on rolling hills at Monkayo poblacion, Zamora, now 58, said that it was the municipality of New Bataan during the administration of the late Margarito Cualing which was the original recipient of the so-called Bolante fertilizers.

Considering the fertilizers’ arrival after the polls, he said, the accusation is thus wrong that he used the fertilizer for election purposes.

He added that since he wanted that the fertilizer be distributed in his district, the stock then was delivered to his congressional district office and he identified the  barangay captains “who know better” how to dispose it as the final recipients.

Except in Monkayo, the rest of the barangays in District 1 received the fertilizer, he said.

At that time, Zamora was then at political odds with Monkayo Mayor Manuel Brillantes.

Even the militant farmers in the Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP) have received “one multicab of fertilizer” months after the distribution when he learned that there was still remaining stock in his office when the group complained to him about reported fertilizer scam, Zamora bared.

Meanwhile, Davao del Norte Cong. Arrel Olano (District 1) has remained mum on the issue when asked again in text query by Sidlak until 7:00 PM last night.

In the Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) website, Bolante’s letter to Olano is published online as one of the exhibits of PCIJ’s expose story on the fertilizer scam, entiltled “Billions in Farm Funds Used for Arroyo Campaign”.

The special allotment release order (SARO) of the P728 million fertilizer fund dated Feb. 3, 2004 contained the names of Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario, former Comval Gov. Jose Caballero, former Davao del Norte Cong. Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo (District 2) and former Comval Cong. Prospero Amatong (District 2) with each having an allocation of P5 million, while Zamora had only P3 million.

During the campaign period for the 2004 polls, Del Rosario’s son Anthony Rafael was then sitting as boardmember being the president of Federation of Association of Barangay Captains (FABC).

Already, Caballero last week said he did not receive any fertilizer or fertilizer fund after he complied with requirements sought by a letter from the Department of Agriculture informing him of the P5 million fertilizer fund allocation. 

Sidlak tried but failed to contact Gov. Del Rosario and former Cong. Floirendo. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com

NEWS: Silence on for Maricar-Ramil for Congress tiff for now til January

nov 10

Silence would be observed for now by both camps of Compostela Valley Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya and Boardmember Maricar Zamora-Apsay on who of them is rightful to be standard-bearer for fielding by the unified Lakas-CMD party- but only until January.

In a report carried by a daily in Davao City, Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy said both of the congressional wannabes who earlier both declared to be running for the congressional post in the first district have agreed to abide with a party decision on who to field for the post.

The governor said that the Lakas-CMD party will make a formal announcement of its decision in January.

Also, a source close to Lakas-CMD provincial leaders said that both agreed not to talk to the media on the issue “so that energies would not be wasted by anyone of them.”.

The source said that the party will hold a caucus by December especially to resolve it and strike consensus and agreement so as not to divide the party in the first district.

Earlier, last-termer Cong. Manuel  “Way Kurat” Zamora said that he would be sticking to the agreement on July 1, 2007 forged by him, daughter Maricar, Uy and Gentugaya for Maricar vie for the congressional post while Ramil would seek for reelection in his current post by 2010.

The suggestion that in order for the party not to be divided in the first district Maricar would instead take the vice gubernatorial bid while Cong. Way Kurat take the mayoral bid in Compostela town was earlier thumbed down by the congressman, saying that the said agrement was already “a solution that has been there.”

Meanwhile, Boardmember Moran Takasan in an interview said that the second district runs smoothly without political quivering thus far as Cong. Rommel Amatong is not facing a challenger at this early from within the party.

Earlier, former Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero said that he would still be running “either-or” meaning either for a return bout for the congressional post or for gubernatorial bid. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com