Vice Gov. Calizo Denies

Aklan Vice Gov. Gabrielle V. Calizo denied two things imputed to her. First she denied she has something to do with the alleged “Aklan Village Ghost Transaction” while she was the congresswoman of the Lone District of Aklan, and second, she denied she received P5 million out of the P728 million Fertilizer Fund Scam from former Under-secretary of Agriculture Jocelyn “Joc Joc” Bolante in 2004.

Vice Gov. Calizo vehemently denied a news article published in the People’s Journal dated November 7, 2008, headlined “Probe Aklan Village ‘Ghost’ transaction quoted hereunder:

“The National labor Union urged Ombudsman Merciditas Gutierrez to probe the alleged purchases of telecommunication equipment by a fictitious barangay in the province of Aklan.

Dave Diwa, president of the National Labor Union, said the ghost purchases in 2004 were uncovered by the Commission on Audit.

“It would help the credibility of the Ombudsman if she looks into this matter. As it is right now, Ombudsman Gutierrez is being accused of ‘sleeping’ on ‘big-time’ cases pending at her office and this is one area where she can prove her detractors wrong,” Diwa said.

Citing the CoA report, Diwa said Barangay Patpatan, Kalibo, Aklan, was supposed to receive the communication equipment purchased from the priority development assistance fund of then Rep. Maria Gabrielle Calizo but the items and the barangay do not exist.

The government auditing office earlier released to the media a list of purchase orders for a total of P66.9 million it identified as ghost purchases.
These include PO No. 2004-03-034 covering the purchase of 20 sets of TAIT mobile radio, 17 sets of TAIT base radio, 18 sets of TAIT portable radio and one lot repeater system for a Barangay Patpatan in Aklan, for the amount of P2.9 million.

In the case of the purchases done by then Calizo, only the payment and transfer of 2.9 million to the supplier was verified by state auditors.” (by Paul M. Gutierrez)

And here is the denial of Vice Governor Calizo addressed to MR. Augusto B. Villanueva, Editor-in-Chief, Peoples Journal.

Dear Mr. Villanuea:

In the November 7, 2008 issue of People’s Journal, page 13, appeared a news item headlined “Probe Aklan Village Ghost Transaction”. Had your staff writer, Mr. Paul M. Gutierrez, bothered to get my side of the controversy, he would have readily known for himself the utter falsity of the allegations and avoided unduly and unfairly casting aspersion on my person and reputation as the former Congresswoman representing the Lone District of Aklan adverted to, and now the incumbent Vice Governor and Presiding Officer of the Sangguniang Pan-lalawigan of Aklan.

For the record, I have not, during my entire tenure as Congresswoman representing the Lone District of Aklan in 2001-2004, allocated funds for the purchase of communication equipment such as the TAIT mobile radio, base radio, portable radio and repeater mentioned in subject news item.

I do not know nor was I made aware of the existence of such a project of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) at the time. If indeed funds were allocated and released for the above-cited purpose, the same definitely did not come from my congressional fund or allocation. The DOTC, as the implementing agency, would and should know were the funds came from, the identity of the recipients, who actually received the equipment, and should be in possession of the documents to prove the transaction.

Moreover, it simply baffles the mind that DOTC would allocate and release funds for the purchase of communication equipment intended for a certain “Barangay Patpatan” which is non-existent in the Municipality of Kalibo, Province of Aklan.

For the sake of fair and balanced news reporting, I hope that this clarification find space and given the same importance and prominence in your widely read tabloid as the subject news item headlined “Probe Aklan Village Ghost Transaction”. This is signed by Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo.

In the case of the Bolante Fertilizer fund anomaly, Vice Gov. Calizo denied of receiving even five centavos out of it. It is true that her name appeared in the list of “recipients of the P728 million fertilizer fund”, as Cong. Gabrielle V. Calizo, but nothing was entered in the columns “practical release by data proponent” and “amount”.

In Aklan, two other public officials are included in the list. They are Cong. Florencio T. Miraflores alleged to have received P5 million and Kalibo Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo for a lesser amount of P3 million.

The name of Vice Gov. Calizo was mentioned in the TV Patrol 6:00 o’clock P.M. edition as one of the top officials who benefited P5 million from the fertilizer fund anomaly.

This TV report was immediately denied. Quoted hereunder is the denial of Vice Governor Calizo addressed to ABS-CBN BROADCASTING CORPORATION:

Attention: TV PATROL

“Gentlemen/Mesdames:

In your November 10, 2008, 6:00 o’clock P.M. edition of TV Patrol, you reported on and showed footages of the list of “Recipients of the 728 Million Fertilizer Fund”. On one of the footages shown, my name was on top of the list. As reported and presented by TV Patrol, the conclusion arrived at by your viewing public can only be that I was a recipient and beneficiary of PhP 5,000.000.00 out of the 728 Million Fertilizer Fund administered by the Department of Agriculture through former undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante. While my name my have been on the original list, what you failed to report was that NO ACTUAL RELEASE was ever made to me as indicated by the very documents you have on hand at the time, as should have been done in the interest of fair, accurate and balance news presentation.

Suffice it to state, my good name and reputation has been unduly and unfairly besmirched by your selective and incomplete reporting of what has been now notoriously dubbed as the “Fertilizer Fund Scam”.

I would, therefore, appreciate it if TV Patrol can immediately exert efforts to correct or rectify this grievous error which has unduly and unfairly cast aspersion on my person by also reporting on the established fact that NO ACTUAL RELEASE of any part of the fund was ever made to me as indicated by the very annexes to the list of supposed beneficiaries in your possession. I refer to the attached list which I downloaded from your own website, abs-cbnnews.com.”

The names of Cong. Florencio T. Miraflores, Vice Gov. Gabrielle V. Calizo, and Kalibo Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo are also included in the list of the Philippine Daily Inquirer who allegedly partook some amount out of the P728 million Fertilizer Fund Anomaly issued on Thursday, November 13, 2008. /MP