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CRIMINAL and administrative charges were filed on Monday before the
Office of the Ombudsman against Gov. Aurelio Umali of Nueva Ecija
for his alleged involvement in a “fertilizer scandal.”
In a 10-page complaint affidavit of Vice Gov.
Edward Thomas Joson of Nueva Ecija, he alleged that Umali who was
then the Representative of the 3rd District of the province caused
the release of his priority development assistance fund (PDAF)
amounting to some P15million to two non-governmental organizations.
This move was allegedly a violation of Republic Act 9184 or the
procurement act and RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices
Act.
It was alleged that on December 1, 2005, Umali
entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Masaganang Ani Para
sa Magsasaka Foundation (MAMFI) to procure and distribute
fertilizers to alleged qualified farmer-beneficiaries of his
district.
Joson stressed that MAMFI used the released fund
of P12-million to purchase 7,290 liters/bottles of liquid
fertilizers for allegedly selected beneficiaries in the
municipalities of Gabaldon and General Natividad.
“That by approving the MAMFI Project Proposal
involving overpriced fertilizers and allocating P12-million for the
said project, the respondent [Umali] has entered into a transaction
that is manifestly and grossly disadvantageous not only to the
government but to the people as well,” the complaint stated.
Joson added that “worse, without going through
the mandatory bidding process prior to the grant of MAMFI’s
project proposal, the respondent granted MAMFI the privilege of
procuring and distributing fertilizers, knowing fully well that
MAMFI is not qualified for or not legally entitled to such a
privilege.”
Thus, Joson asked Ombudsman Maria Merceditas
Gutierrez to file the criminal and administrative charges against
Umali before the Sandiganbayan and dismiss him from the service,
respectively.
Recently, Joson filed a case against Umali, his
wife Rep. Czarina Umali, Provincial Treasurer Edilberto Pancho,
consultant Ferdinand Abesamis, and administrator Alejandro Abesamis
for graft.
This involved the alleged overpriced purchase of
93 multicab distributed to various areas in Nueva Ecija.
-- Jomar Canlas
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