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Bolante detained at Senate for 'lying'

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 12/04/2008 2:15 AM

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Former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante arrived after midnight Thursday at the Senate premises in Pasay City where he will be detained after he was again ordered arrested by the Senate.

Bolante had asked to see his wife and family before agreeing to go with the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms in compliance with the new arrest order issued by the Senate.

His lawyer, Alexis Suarez, told reporters in Vernida I Bldg. in Amorsolo St., Makati, where the former agriculture official was arrested by a team from the Senate, that Bolante asked permission to visit his wife.

His wife reportedly got sick after learning that the Senate had ordered that Bolante be arrested again. The former Agriculture undersecretary said his wife suffered a mild stroke.

After visiting his wife in their house in Alabang, Bolante went to the Senate building accompanied by personnel of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms.

He was first checked by a doctor and later talked with Sen. Richard Gordon.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Wednesday ordered the arrest of Bolante for allegedly lying under oath in the ongoing investigation on the P728 million fertilizer fund scam.

"Ngayong araw na ito ipapaaresto si Bolante dahil sa pagsisinungaling. Napatunayan namin na nagsisinungaling siya," said Gordon, Blue Ribbon Committee chair.

Gordon announced that 11 of the 17 members of the Blue Ribbon Committee signed the resolution which he said cited eight evasive statements made by Bolante as bases for the Senate's contempt order.

"We have obtained a majority of votes to cite Mr. Bolante in contempt, arrest him, and have him detained here at the Senate," said Gordon.

Among those he said who signed the contempt order were himself, Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Panfilo Lacson, Gregorio Honasan, Rodolfo Biazon, Francis Escudero, Ramon Revilla Jr., Pia Cayetano, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and Loren Legarda.

Gordon said members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee are convinced Bolante is lying and is avoiding telling the truth about the fertilizer fund scam and other details linked to the investigation.

An example of what the senators said showed Bolante lying was when he said the fertilizer program was a regular project of the Department of Agriculture (DA). Bolante's statment was denied by DA regional directors.

According to the senators, Bolante also lied when he said his lawyer reported his passport was stolen, when records of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) belied this.

Bolante also allegedly hid from the Senate the fact he had six security personnel from the Police Security and Protection Office (PSPO) guarding him.

"'Yon pa ang isang patunay na nagsisinungaling siya sapagkat last hearing, ang sinabi ni Bolante, 'Pwede ba alisin na nagbabantay sa akin?' Hindi niya sinabi na may anim pala siya," Gordon added.

The next session of the Blue Ribbon Committee on the fertilizer fund scam will be on Monday, December 8. -- With a report from Lynda Jumilla, ABS-CBN News

as of 12/04/2008 2:22 AM