JocJoc Bolante and the Fertilizer scam.

[FK]

---

since uso na man kaau ning mga letter dinhi... mo apil ko. though dili ni siya direct to GMA and the opposition, pero connected gihapon sa 2004 election.

March 1, 2006

Dear fellow Rotarians and Friends,

Greetings of peace to all of you!

I joined the Rotary Club of Loyola Heights here in the Philippines two years ago upon the invitation of PP Jess Birosel and then incumbent President Jess Cifra. Although I haven’t been active in my club and am contemplating on leaving Rotary, I cannot but help myself from asking this very institution on what is its stand on one of its more prominent members, Former Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Joc Joc Bolante who has refused to surface and face inquiry on the pending Fertilizer Scam that haunts him here in the Philippines. Bolante has time and again been spotted at the Rotary International headquarters in Illinois and in fact was even here in the Philippines when we played host to a Big Rotary International event at the Westin Philippine Plaza, but alas, he again evaded attempts to make him face the music and finally clear the Fertilizer Scam that has rocked the political stablity of this already unstable nation.

For those who may not know yet what Fertilizer Scam I am talking about, let me give you a brief background, just a few months before the last 2004 elections, over a billion pesos worth of "fertilizer" funds were released by the Department of Agriculture through then Usec. Bolante upon prodding from Malacanang Palace to Local Government Officials and Congressmen that were considered to be allies of the present administration. If you look at it only from this point of view, there seems to be nothing wrong with it however what is suspicious is the fact that highly-urban cities without any farms like Quezon City and Makati City received part of this Fertilizer Fund. At the same time, the timing of the release of this fund was also very suspicious since it was released just at the start of the Campaign period. If you would like to read more about this, you may refer to the website of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism: (click on this link — http://www.pcij.org/stories/2005/farmfunds.html)

This scandal has not been resolved up until now simply because the man who people say was on top of it, who also happens to be one proud Rotarian does not want to face the music and tell the Truth.

I do not intend to attack the Rotary as an institution, in fact, I am a firm believer of the 4-Way Test that it abides to. However, in cases such as these wherein one member is asked to let the Truth come out, will the Rotary community just sit down and do nothing? Will the Rotary International community just allow Mr. Bolante to usurp the Truth from the Filipino People? Finally, will the Rotary do nothing knowing that the fertilizer funds could have been used towards the betterment of the situation of the more than 30 million Filipinos who live with less than $ 2.00 a day? This is the challenge I throw at us Rotarians, if we are really for the Truth and indeed we believe in Service Above Self then we will all work together as one community towards really making the Truth come out and building a more Fair and Just Society for us and for our Children’s Future.

Sincerely,

Harvey S. Keh
Member, Rotary Club of Loyola Heights

[FK]

AN OPEN LETTER TO ROTARIAN JOCELYN "JOCJOC" BOLANTE

"Let it not be said that we did not do our responsibility to care for the Rotary and our country when the power to speak up and do something were in our hands…We await the truth to come from you!"

Dear PDG Bolante,

Over the past 100 years, Rotary International has been been involved in humanitarian work dealing with various socio-civic advocacies such as poverty and hunger, illiteracy, violence, and environmental degradation. As a result of this humanitarian work done throughout the century, the name Rotary has become synonymous with the words "volunteerism", "socio-civic consciousness", "humanitarian work", and "leadership."

The one constant theme that defines Rotary from all other socio-civic organizations is its commitment to service, as contained in the Rotary motto "service above self." This service is defined by the high ethical standards embodied in the 4-way Rotary test: truth, fairness, goodwill, and benefit to all.

It was because of these lofty ideals and values that we young Rotarians chose to become Rotarians. In doing so, we made a solemn commitment to uphold these ideals and values, and to protect all that Rotary stands for.

Our Club was chartered a few weeks after you wrote your Vision for The Philippine Rotary; and your patriotic essay was one of the early reading materials that affirmed us and our hopes as a new club during the first conferences that we attended for planning our activities. You ended that visions statement with a strong if "we as Rotarians shall move toward a coalition of forces to bring back the basic principles and tenets of Rotary into action"…the answer lies in our hands as Rotarians. It therefore pains us that you, a long-time Rotarian, a Past District Governor of Rotary District 3830 in the Philippines and now an esteemed Director of the Rotary International — have been allegedly involved in the controversy surrounding the "anomalous" disbursement of the Department of Agriculture Fertilizer Fund which was allegedly used to peddle influence and buy votes to ensure the election of a Presidency that is now accused of massive cheating.

You were given the opportunity to express the truth in scheduled Senate hearings, but you chose instead to have your time available for ROTARY MATTERS SUCH AS THE ROTARY INSTITUTE more than national interest. ARE WE TO BELIEVE THAT YOUR GESTURES ARE EXPRESSION OF THE FOUR WAY TEST?

We, your fellow Rotarians, expect nothing less from you as one with such a lofty vision statement. The answer to the controversy surrounding the fertilizer fund of the Department of Agriculture lies in your hands. We have watched and waited for you to reveal what needs to be revealed for several months in disappointment. Your refusal to reveal the truth is, to us, irresponsible and cowardly. We believe that such a position has prejudiced not just Rotary but the entire Filipino people. Know, as we know, that your silence adds to our people’s suspicion and paranoia in the present administration. See, as we see, your accountability in this social unrest we have reached and whatever socio-economic/political divisions our country will face in the future. May you find no blood in your hands should violence erupt in our precarious state now.

As fellow Rotarians and as fellow Filipinos who care deeply about our country, we urge you then to step up to the challenge as you challenged every Rotarian in your vision statement. Do the right thing with no further delay and make that vision a shining moment in our lives as it becomes a mission accomplished by a heroic Rotarian. We beseech you to come forward and speak the truth, instead of skulking in the shadows. Do what is right and what is fair and beneficial to all.

We are at a critical juncture of our nation’s history, and what you choose to do or not do will forever be etched in the memory of young Rotarians such as ourselves. WE CHOOSE NOT TO FORGET! Let it not be said that we did not do our responsibility to care for the Rotary and our country when the power to speak up and do something were in our hands. Let it likewise not be said that we have been betrayed by our elders by directly violating the very first principle of Rotary — speaking and living out the TRUTH.

As one of our leading Statesmen, Jovito Salonga, said…"You can only unite a country based on TRUTH and JUSTICE. You cannot expect unity when there is no TRUTH "…

We await the truth to come from you!

Sincerely,

Signed
Members of the Rotary Club of Mapasan (the first ever club in the Rotary World organized by TRF Scholars Alumni)

Floro Francisco - President 2005-2006
Jun Bernad - Charter President
Sed Candelaria - Past President 2004-2005
Del Domingo - Past President 2003-2004
Oscar Bautista - Vice President and President Elect
Cristy Fuentes - Secretary
Miel Reyes - President Nominee 2007
Gina Resultan - President Nominee 2008
Irene Besido-Garcia
Belay Ambrosio
Nanah Herce
Vibien de Guzman
Mari Blardony
Iya Santiago
Susan Bautista
Dennis Maximo
Mike Magpily

[omar50071]

Ni tago si Bolante sa palda ni madam...tarunga ug tago madam kay ni sikil ang ikog...

[FK]

no comments? this is where your taxes have gone. do you really care about your taxes? your hard earned money?

i don't know if you are even aware of this...

[iloveyou4ever]

no comments? this is where your taxes have gone. do you really care about your taxes? your hard earned money?

i don't know if you are even aware of this...

Im aware of this. Dapat ikiha na siya for plunder. kana si bolante.

[Freeza]

no comments? this is where your taxes have gone.Â* do you really care about your taxes? your hard earned money?

i don't know if you are even aware of this...

its like we only see what we want to see.. yes that jocjoc bolante and that fertilizer scam is a fact not less than a government agency like COA and his former work mates had affirmed that there Â*is Â*scam going on... Â* as more argument like yes GMA won landslide here in cebu but she never won in mindanao particularyly in lanao armm areas but thats besides the point... all of this are moves this are manueverings to gain the upperhand on a political battle all of them are Â*the same anyway ... so we have Â*just to stick with the winner were not that affected after all were in the middle right the majority its not worth taking sides the only casualties Â*here are the poor Â*weakling losers they should just accept defeat and spear the nation the people of the political warfare fallout...

[LytSlpr]

i cannot say these people are guilty or innocent, all i can say is let them prove it! because that's what they always do. ako ang gikapoy para nila.

i didn't say GMA is also innocent, just let them prove it. mao ra na!

FYI, it's not what you know. it's what you can prove. just like the Garci Tape, they were not able to successfully prove it. the question is WHY?!

[mosimos]

Answer: COver-up pirmi si GMA.

basta oposisyon paimbestigahan dayun pero GMA walay imbestigasyon.

Hadlok man sakpan sa iyang mga binuang.

[bcasabee]

Yeah, I agree, i kiha dayon....ahak ba ana....

no comments? this is where your taxes have gone. do you really care about your taxes? your hard earned money?

i don't know if you are even aware of this...

Im aware of this. Dapat ikiha na siya for plunder. kana si bolante.

[FK]

i cannot say these people are guilty or innocent, all i can say is let them prove it! because that's what they always do. ako ang gikapoy para nila.

i didn't say GMA is also innocent, just let them prove it. mao ra na!

if it's from the administration camp... prove it. If it's from the opposition is crystal clear... it's proven. tsk... tsk... tsk...