Gordon: Signatures enough to put Joc-Joc Bolante in jail

MANILA, Philippines - Senate blue ribbon committee chair Richard Gordon on Friday said they have mustered enough signatures to put Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante in jail if the former Agriculture undersecretary continues to evade questions related to the P728-million fertilizer fund mess in Friday's hearing. In an interview over radio dzBB, Gordon said the resolution citing Bolante in contempt for his evasiveness has already been signed by 11 senators when they only need nine. "Nine lang kelangan pero 11 na kaming nakapirma diyan, pinaguuusapan namin kung maju-justify na maaresto siya (Only nine are needed but 11 of us have already signed the resolution, we're discussing if we can already justify his arrest)," said Gordon. Gordon said they will decide during the hearing on the fertilizer fund scam later if they will detain Bolante. "Definitely (we'll know later). Makikita niyo siguro mamaya dahil meron kaming testigo na makakabit na talaga si Joc-Joc Bolante (We also have a witness that will really implicate Joc-Joc Bolante)," Gordon said. On Thursday, Gordon said Bolante faces detention either at the Senate or at the Pasay City Jail and even at the National Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City if he refuses to cooperate in the proceedings. Bolante's alleged "runner," Maritess Aytona, is also expected to show up at the hearings later after the Senate committee ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to locate her. Aside from the "runner," others expected to attend the hearing are former DA regional directors - Hector Sales of Region V, Eduardo Lecciones of Region VII, Sumael Sekak of Region XII, Reinerio Belarmino Jr of Region I, and Dennis Araullo of Region IV-A, now DA assistant secretary for operations. The blue ribbon chair also said that the committee also called lawyer Vicente Aquino, executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat, to shed light on Bolante's questionable accounts under investigation. Also invited to attend the hearing are the branch managers of the banks where Bolante said he had accounts when he was with the DA and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). The bank branch managers were identified as Catherine Buntua of RCBC Legaspi Village branch, Grace Lucero of BPI Legaspi Village branch, Raul Arcilla of Union Bank GSIS branch, and Thet de Guzman of Union Bank Pasay City branch. - GMANews.TV