FINAL REPORT - Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

The Other Courageous Witnesses
Antonio Andag Salas is the Assistant Provincial Treasurer in Eastern
Samar. A crusader of truth, he declared boldly and amid threats to
his life, that contrary to the liquidation report submitted identifying
his province as a recipient of the fertilizer fund, there were no
actual deliveries made. Another fearless witness, Alfonso Cainto
Esposa, president of the Pinamalutan Water Impounding Irrigators
Association, corroborated the no-actual-delivery case as a microcosm
of the fertilizer fund scam.
Rebecca L. Aquino is a Bokal, a member of the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan of the Province of Sorsogon. The feisty but heroic
Aquino testified on the “gross overpricing of fertilizers using public
funds” in her province. In her oral testimony, she presented COA’s
audit observation for Sorsogon which cited that the Bio Nature liquid
fertilizer which was actually sold in the market at Php 180.00 to 350.00
had been overpriced at Php 1,500.00 per bottle. She further cited COA’s
findings that the said liquid fertilizers were not appropriate for rice and
corn, the principal crops of the Bicolandia, but for hanging plants like
orchids and other ornamental plants.
The Legitimate Players in the Fertilizer Industry
Are Not Suppliers in the Transaction
The largest group of legitimate players in the fertilizer industry, the
Fertilizer Industry Association of the Philippines (FIAP), through its
president Raymond Ilustre, stated that it has seventeen (17)
companies which are basically into supplying fertilizers by bulk.
With a market share of 95 percent, FIAP is responsible for supplying
about 1.5 million tons of fertilizers to farmers on an annual basis. Ilustre
pointed out that FIAP did not participate in the fertilizer project
which is the subject of the inquiry.
Some Congressmen Simply Used in the
Fertilizer Fund Distribution
In an impromptu testimony, former Secretary Florencio Abad denied
that he made a request or was a proponent in the Php 728-million
fertilizer fund. Accordingly, his name and congressional district were
included in the list prepared by Undersecretary Bolante as an
attachment for the release of SARO and NCA under the fertilizer fund.
Abad stressed that he never requested for any allocation, or received
fertilizers or farm inputs for his legislative district. He added that
he had demanded explanation from the DA but to date, the latter
failed to satisfy his query. He even made a conclusion that his name
was merely used.
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