“Flawed and Baseless”
– Mayor Rebaldo
By Boy Ryan B. Zabal
The allegation of Jose Barredo, Jr is “flawed and baseless”, said town Mayor Raymar Rebaldo following the former’s statements that he received ‘kickbacks’ in the distribution of the controversial fertilizer funds in 2004.
Barredo implicated Rebaldo during a Senate hearing on food and agriculture committee last week in the so-called P728-million fertilizer fund scam under the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program, a priority agricultural project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
However, the town mayor admitted he entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Agriculture (DA) where 2,000 liters of liquid fertilizers were turned over without any price tags in 2004. This, he said, were witnessed by DA and local officials of Kalibo.
Rebaldo said DA turned down his earlier proposal for farm-to-market roads in the barangays and instead DA responded with the GMA agricultural program.
Meanwhile, Municipal Agriculturist Joel Semitara admitted his office took charge in the distribution of liquid fertilizers to barangays and over 1,000 farmers-beneficiaries after the elections.
“The liquid fertilizer is actually overpriced, but it was not diluted with water as claimed by Barredo. Some (farmers) even tried to solicit for additional liquid fertilizers for their rice production. Although I knew the fertilizer was quite overpriced, we distributed it to the intended recipients,” Semitara said over DyKR Kalibo.
The P3-million fund intended for Kalibo was shelled out in the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) issued by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on February 3, 2004 to former Agriculture Secretary Luisito Lorenzo.
Barredo, a native of Brgy. Hanglid, President Roxas, Capiz, also claimed that Rebaldo disagreed with his initial offer of P600,000 in commission and demanded for more “kickbacks” a day before the 2004 local elections.
“This is a clear and blatant form of character assassination. I vehemently deny. I met him a day before the 2004 elections. Barredo’s allegation is flawed and baseless,” Rebaldo said.
Mayor Rebaldo said “supporters and friends were using his residence as campaign headquarters at that time and it would be impossible to conduct clandestine meetings. The campaign headquarters was frequented and filled with people night and day.”
Rebaldo also denied receiving any financial assistance from DA as evidenced by the official letter sent by the Municipal Accountant to the Commission on Audit (COA).Barredo said, “the fertilizers came from Feshan Philippines, authorized supplier of fertilizers and farm inputs, which normally priced between P180 and P350 a liter and was purchased at P1,500.”
Barredo implicated Rebaldo during a Senate hearing on food and agriculture committee last week in the so-called P728-million fertilizer fund scam under the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program, a priority agricultural project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
However, the town mayor admitted he entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Agriculture (DA) where 2,000 liters of liquid fertilizers were turned over without any price tags in 2004. This, he said, were witnessed by DA and local officials of Kalibo.
Rebaldo said DA turned down his earlier proposal for farm-to-market roads in the barangays and instead DA responded with the GMA agricultural program.
Meanwhile, Municipal Agriculturist Joel Semitara admitted his office took charge in the distribution of liquid fertilizers to barangays and over 1,000 farmers-beneficiaries after the elections.
“The liquid fertilizer is actually overpriced, but it was not diluted with water as claimed by Barredo. Some (farmers) even tried to solicit for additional liquid fertilizers for their rice production. Although I knew the fertilizer was quite overpriced, we distributed it to the intended recipients,” Semitara said over DyKR Kalibo.
The P3-million fund intended for Kalibo was shelled out in the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) issued by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on February 3, 2004 to former Agriculture Secretary Luisito Lorenzo.
Barredo, a native of Brgy. Hanglid, President Roxas, Capiz, also claimed that Rebaldo disagreed with his initial offer of P600,000 in commission and demanded for more “kickbacks” a day before the 2004 local elections.
“This is a clear and blatant form of character assassination. I vehemently deny. I met him a day before the 2004 elections. Barredo’s allegation is flawed and baseless,” Rebaldo said.
Mayor Rebaldo said “supporters and friends were using his residence as campaign headquarters at that time and it would be impossible to conduct clandestine meetings. The campaign headquarters was frequented and filled with people night and day.”
Rebaldo also denied receiving any financial assistance from DA as evidenced by the official letter sent by the Municipal Accountant to the Commission on Audit (COA).Barredo said, “the fertilizers came from Feshan Philippines, authorized supplier of fertilizers and farm inputs, which normally priced between P180 and P350 a liter and was purchased at P1,500.”
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