JocJoc Bolante and the Fertilizer scam.

[istoryador]

---

Malacanang might be feeling the heat now. Atty. Harry Roque who is fighting for the rejection of the Bolante's application for asylum has been allowed to present his case. A setback is that the hearings are off limits to the public.

Diplomatic protest For what They said hands off sa kaso and now they want to intervene.

[talsik]

makonsensiya unta ang naka pahimulos

[meeneemi]

feeling ko lang ha... naka pahimulos man pud cya but cya lang jud ang gihimo nga scape goat... ni mike arroyo and his drones

[istoryador]

Joc-Joc to sing if visa reinstated


09/18/2006

Lawyers of Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante are reportedly into attempts to strike a deal with Filipino lawyers who are opposing his American visa reinstatement bid through their amicus brief, which details the P3-billion fertilizer funds scam that saw public money diverted to the campaign kitty of President Arroyo during the 2004 elections.

Harry Roque, who represents the University of the Philippines law group that worked to come up with an amicus brief, yesterday informed the Tribune that Bolante, through his American lawyer, Judd Azulay, of Azulay, Horn and Seiden LLC, was said to have talked with the Filipino lawyer based in the United States, Mary CR Madrid-Crost, offering to strike a deal.

A copy of an e-mail sent by Crost to Azulay confirming that Bolante’s lawyer had spoken to her and enumerating the conditions being set by Azulay for the deal showed that Bolante wants to have his visa reinstated.

This can apparently be done by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., as it is believed that he had sought the help of the US Embassy in Manila for the American authorities to keep track of the whereabouts of Bolante, former Agriculture undersecretary of Mrs. Arroyo, who has been tagged by Magsaysay as the “architect of the fertilizer funds scam.”

It was on this request of Magsaysay that Bolante’s visa was cancelled by the American Embassy and the reason Bolante remains under detention.

Part of the deal Bolante and his lawyers want to forge with Magsaysay is for the senator to have his visa reinstated, presumably, by withdrawing the Senate’s request to the US Embassy. If Magsaysay agrees, the Bolante lawyer reportedly said the Notice to Appear will then be dropped. In return, the e-mail stated that Bolante will testify, presumably on the truth behind the fertilizer funds.

A few days ago, after reports filtered in that the habeas corpus petition was denied, on account of lack of jurisdiction of the court, the Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, who was then in Europe with Mrs. Arroyo, was quoted as having said the Philippine government will lodge a diplomatic protest with the US government for a breach of diplomatic protocol while protesting the US government’s cancellation of Bolante’s US visa, without first clearing this matter with the DFA, and dealing directly with the Senate of the Philippines.

A day after, with flak pouring in, Romulo denied having stated that he would be filing a diplomatic protest, but at the same time claimed that this was recommended by Sen.Miriam Defensor-Santiago, an Arroyo ally, and that Santiago’s recommendation should not just be brushed away.

Tribune sources in the DFA, after being apprised of the e-mail message sent by Azulay to Crost on this “deal,” said Bolante must have first tapped Mrs. Arroyo for help to get his visa reinstated, but as this did not fly, Bolante, through his American lawyers, went to Crost, to give Magsaysay the same message.

According to the e-mail sent by Crost to Azulay, part of the deal was for Bolante to “sing” presumably on the way Mrs. Arroyo handled the fertilizer funds, said to have been co-mingled with US agricultuale aid fund, to bankroll the cheating and massive vote-rigging operations to ensure her stay in Malacanang.

It was made clear by Azulay, from the Crost e-mail message, that this would be a “one-time deal” only and that if the former Agriculture official’s visa is not reinstated, the deal is off, and Bolante will never be seen again.”

While the message is much too cryptic, the UP lawyers speculate that Bolante may opt to be deported to a third country where he cannot be touched by either the Arroyo government or the US government, assuming that Bolante will not fight to stay in the US.

It was also speculated that the American lawyers may have realized that if the judge allows the amicus brief to be part of the proceedings, it may be more difficult for them to get their client out of detention and it will be equally difficult for Bolante to seek political asylum as this may now be categorized as a “whim.”

The e-mail sent by Crost to Azulay read: “Judd, since you did not want to e-mail the conditions of the ‘deal’ I would like to recap our conversation this morning to make sure I heard you accurately.

“You want me to relay to Senator Magsaysay the following items -

“(a) to have Jocelyn Bolante’s visa reinstated so that the Notice to Appear will be dropped;

“(b) in return, Bolante will testify;

“(c) that this is a one-time offer only;

“(d) and you want me to get back to you tomorrow;

“(f) lastly, you mentioned that if Bolante’s visa is not reinstated, there is no deal and we will not see Bolante ever.

“As I mentioned, I may not be able to get back to you right away since it is getting on weekend in Manila. If I do not hear from you, I will assume that the items listed above are accurate.“Sincerely,

“Mary C.R. Madrid-Crost


Patay. If this deal could push through Joc joc Bolante would be another Chavit Singson for the opposition. This is exciting good news!

[kamikaze426]

I bet abot tenga ang smile ni istoryador karon :mrgreen:

[cooldude06]

naaahh, basin molansad na sad nuon ni si Jocjoc Bolante karong sunod election. mao ra ba jud ni kasagarang mahitabo basta ma-controversial na gani nga tawo mosikat hinuon... murag si Wooww DECS gud...

[meeneemi]

naaahh, basin molansad na sad nuon ni si Jocjoc Bolante karong sunod election. mao ra ba jud ni kasagarang mahitabo basta ma-controversial na gani nga tawo mosikat hinuon... murag si Wooww DECS gud...

---> true!!! mao naman nay uso ron... murag pud si Iggy Arroyo... sa mailad lang lage

[ucalypso]

Truth is finally catching up with the GMA admin. Jocjoc Bolante's expired visa is due to his hiding from authorities. Its really crystal clear that Joc2 Bolante had something to hide. Why go to US? Why hide? Or maybe the administration is still composing the script for Joc in the same way they did to Garcillano. But scrpting the testimony of Joc2 will be complicated because it involves government money. Lots of them.

Joc2 is now asking the intercession of his patron in malacanang to save him. Let see waht will happen.

How about suspension of Gloria Arroyo. Like what the law of rataliation imposes against Baguio Mayor Braulio Yaranon, Pasay City Peewee Trinidad, Santa Rosa, Laguna Mayor Joey Catindig and Makati City Mayor Jojo Binay and many more elected opposition leaders to follow.