Jun Torres

September 25, 2008
People’s JOURNAL
Governor linked to agri scam
By Joel dela Torre

A GROUP of farmers yesterday asked the Department of Agriculture to investigate Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali for his alleged involvement in a multi-million-peso agricultural scam.

Sid Villaflor, leader of the farmers, said Umali should be probed for selecting a farmers’group as beneficiaries of a livelihood and irrigation project even if its members are not from the province.

Villaflor said that the Samahan ng mga Manininda ng Prutas sa Gabi, Inc. has been nemed beneficiary of the project.

The farmers claimed that the governor had allegedly entered into an agreement with the SMPGI for a P3-million livelihood and irrigation project.

The project reportedly involved the purchase of water pumps priced at P120,000 each although its market price was only P40,000 each.

The group also asked the Senate to investigate the alleged scam as million of pesos that were diverted from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Nueva Ecija were used to finance bogus projects.

Earlier, graft charges were filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against Umali for allegedly favoring bogus farmers’ groups as beneficiaries of agricultural projects even if such groups are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The case stemmed from an agreement that Umali allegedly entered into with the Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation, Inc. that authorized the latter to pinpoint the beneficiaries of the agricultural project.

The governor allegedly caused the release of P12 million from the PDAF to by 7,920 bottles of liquid fertilizer for the farmers ot the towns of Gabaldon and General Natividad in Nueva Ecija.

The complainants claimed that the fertilizers were overpriced at P1,500 each as the prevailing market price for each bottle ranged from P100 to P200 only.