CamNor ex-governor charged with graft over fertilizer scam

The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has ordered the filing of graft and corruption charges against former Camarines Norte Governor Jesus Typoco for his alleged involvement in the fertilizer fund scam.

The Ombudsman also included in the charge sheet Provincial Accountant Maribeth Malaluan; Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members Jose Atienza, Lorna Coreses, Cesar Paita, Rodolfo Salamero, and Jose Rene Ruidera; and Alex Rivera of Hexaphil Agriventures, with an additional criminal complaint of violating the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Records showed Camarines Norte received P5 million from the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the purchase of farm supplies and vegetable seeds in 2004.

Sometime in March, 2004, Rivera offered the product, Hexaplus Liquid fertilizer, to Typoco claiming that his firm was the exclusive distributor of the product costing 700 per bottle.

A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was executed between the regional office of the Department of Agriculture and Typoco the following month with Typoco and the BAC buying more than 7,000 bottles of Hexaphil without public bidding.

Investigation conducted by OMB fieldmen showed that the Hexaphil is a colorum enterprise not registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or even the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). It also had no business address.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said the accused resorted to direct contracting and did not conduct market probe on the financial capability and legality of the supplier.

In finding probable cause, Morales said “Typoco cannot simply be exempted because he was then busy campaigning for the upcoming elections,” adding that “as governor and public official, he is accountable for his actions relative to the contract he entered into.”