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By Angelo S. Samonte, Reporter
The US Board of Immigration Appeals has rejected
the application for political asylum by a former Arroyo government
official wanted in the Philippines in the case involving the
P728-million fertilizer fund scam.
The decision upholds an earlier ruling of the
Chicago immigration court on the petition by former Agriculture
Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said
Wednesday that Bolante’s troubles in the United States are a
private, not public, matter. As such, Malacañang said Bolante will
have to fight his own battles before the American judicial system.
The government of President Gloria Arroyo will
not intervene in the Bolante case even if the former high official
is extradited to the Philippines, Ermita added.
“Let him face whatever he has to face. He has
to face it as a private person and the government will not meddle
with it. We will not interfere in the disposition of a private
person,” Ermita said.
Both the US Board of Immigration Appeal and a
Chicago immigration court dismissed Bolante’s claims that he is in
danger of persecution if he returns to the Philippines.
The former undersecretary has been tagged the
main operator of the so-called fertilizer scam, which involved the
alleged diversion of P728 million to allies of President Arroyo
during the 2004 elections. There were unverified reports during the
Senate probe that the diversion could have reached more than P1
billion.
When the Philippine Senate investigated the
controversy, Bolante ignored subpoenas to appear and testify, and
instead left the country for the United States. Upon arrival there,
he was arrested for carrying a revoked visa.
The US Embassy in Manila cancelled the visa
after the Senate blue-ribbon investigation named Bolante as the
mastermind of the fertilizer scam.
Bolante reportedly tried but failed to bring his
immigration case to the Board of Immigration Appeals in Washington,
D.C.
Ermita said Malacañang would just await the
court processes now that Bolante’s petition for asylum has been
denied.
Harry Roque, one of the Filipino lawyers going
after Bolante, has confirmed that the former Cabinet member is still
at Kenosha County Jail in Wisconsin.
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