Joc Bolante?! Don’t ever Vote For This Guy!
Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante. For Governor!
Isn’t that repulsive?!
To those of you who are not familiar with this alleged brains of the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, here is a short bio of this person, according to our ever reliable Wiki-Wiki:
Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante (born August 27, 1951) is a Filipino politician who formerly served as an Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines. He was implicated by the Philippine Senate to the ongoing investigation related to corruption concerning fertilizer funding while serving as a government official. Bolante left the Philippines on December 11, 2005. He returned to the Philippines on October 28, 2008 after being detained at an immigration office in the United States.The corruption related to fertilizer funds was exposed when news broke that a Filipino journalist, Marlene Garcia-Esperat (who was from Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines), was killed on March 24, 2005.
So what’s with the notoriety?! (*ubo*ubo*). His name is associated with this term:
FERTILIZER FUND SCAM.
What is this scam anyway? Here’s the scam timeline. As usual, let’s go back to Jurassic days:
2001—Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante is appointed as Department of Agriculture undersecretary for finance shortly after Arroyo assumes the presidency.
March 6, 2004- Philippine Daily Inquirer reports that Senator Panfilo Lacson accused President Arroyo of vote-buying by authorizing the release of P728 million funds supposedly for fertilizers to the local officials.
August 25, 2005—An episode of The Probe Team reports that some farmers claimed that they did not receive fertilizers from the fertilizer fund released by the DA.
September 28-29 2005—PCIJ special report says that billions of farm funds were used to fund the presidential campaign of Arroyo.
October 6, 2005—The Senate starts its inquiry on the fertilizer scam.
October-December 2005—The Senate conducts hearings on the scam but Bolante fails to appear.
December 11, 2005—Bolante is invited to the Senate hearing, but he flees to the United States. He claims that his life is in danger because there were attempts to kill him.
December 13, 2005—The Senate cites Bolante in contempt for refusing to attend the hearings and orders his arrest.
February 15, 2006—US Embassy in Manila writes Bolante telling him that his tourist visa is not valid for travel.
March 1, 2006—The Senate Committee on Agriculture recommends the filing of plunder charges against Bolante, former Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo and other DA officials. The Senate probe tags Bolante as the mastermind of the scam. The Senate sends a copy of the inquiry report to the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
March 20, 2006—US Embassy in Manila writes Bolante telling him that his non-immigrant visa has been revoked and is not valid for travel.
July 7, 2006—Bolante is arrested by airport authorities in Los Angeles for using a canceled visa.
July 26, 2006—A statement by New People’s Army belies Bolante’s claim that they were plotting to kill him.
August 9, 2006—Bolante files a petition for habeas corpus. He claims that the US has no basis holding him and that his visas were improperly revoked.
September 2006—The AMLC starts an investigation after Philippine National Bank reported “12 suspicious transaction reports”. (Findings of the AMLC revealed that a firm—Livelihood Corp.—where Bolante was acting chair transferred P172.6 million to Molugan Foundation Inc and P40 million to Assembly of Gracious Samaritans Foundation, Inc. (AGS). AMLC also found out that Molugan Foundation transferred P38 million to the AGS).
February 9, 2007—A Chicago court denies Bolante’s petition for political asylum. The court says Bolante failed to establish “a well-founded fear of persecution.”
June 25, 2007—The Board of Immigration Appeals sustains the decision of the Chicago court to deny Bolante’s petition.
July 3, 2008—The Court of Appeals issues a 20-day freeze order for 70 bank accounts listed under Bolante’s name and other personalities linked to the fertilizer scam.
July 8, 2008—The CA orders the Anti-Money Laundering Council to submit more evidence linking Bolante to the 70 accounts.
October 22,2008—US Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirms to ABS-CBN that they are preparing to deport Bolante.
October 27,2008—Senate President Manny Villar orders the arrest of Bolante.
October 28, 2008—Bolante arrives from the US. He is whisked to St. Luke’s Medical Center, where he remains confined and placed under hospital arrest. He is guarded by the staff from the Senate sergeant-at-arms.
October 30, 2008—A medical bulletin from the St. Luke’s Medical Center said that Bolante is in “stable” and “normal” condition.
November 3, 2008—Bolante’s son, Owen files before the Court of Appeals a petition for habeas corpus to declare his father’s arrest as unlawful.
November 4, 2008—Bolante withdraws the petition for an injunction and temporary restraining order at the Supreme Court. The withdrawal allows the Senate to proceed with the re-opening of the investigation of the fertilizer scam.
November 7, 2008—A hospital spokesperson says Bolante was diagnosed with sleep problem.
November 10, 2008—Senate allows Bolante to stay at St. Luke’s Medical Center for “humanitarian reasons.
November 12, 2008—Bolante does not appear in the hearing of the House Committee on Food and Agriculture. DA Secretary Arthur Yap, DA undersecretary Belinda Gonzales, former budget secretary Emilia Boncodin are also not present. At the hearing, officials from the Commission on Audit affirm that there are irregularities in the release of the fund. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, grants Bolante’s request to withdraw habeas corpus petition.
November 13, 2008—Bolante appears on the Senate for the first time. He clears President Gloria Arroyo, the congressmen and the local officials implicated in the fertilizer fund scam.
It’s difficult to imagine that this person alleged to be involved in a million peso fund scam where farmers should have been the beneficiary, not the pockets of few greedy men sitting with their fat bottom asses in their offices is out there running for office. Why COMELEC allowed this person to run for a gubernatorial position in Capiz when he still has the case on his heels is beyond me!
What gives Matilda?! What gives?!
If we want change in our country, we cannot vote for this kind of people. To people in Capiz, I see no reason why Bolante deserves your vote. WHY VOTE FOR JOC JOC BOLANTE? Why vote for a person with questionable ethics? Why vote for a person who was part of one of the most corrupt cases in this country?
As Filipino citizens, we all want change – meaningful change for the better. That change will come from us. We, collectively, have the power to change the course of our country. How? By voting for the right candidate. Joc joc Bolante does not deserve that seat and you can change Capiz history BY NOT VOTING FOR JOC JOC BOLANTE.
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reynz is one Uragon and a Filipino-American, has many years of public accounting & auditing, broadcast investments, housing tax credits and equity investments as his background. Based in the US, he maintains his personal and humor blog at reyna elena dot com. A graduate of Aquinas U, he went to GWU and Temple U in the United States.
Tama ka renz, he doesn’t deserve the seat of the governor, karapat dapat sa kanya electric chair. magiging laughingstock tayo ng buong bansa pag naging gobernador natin yan.
i hope those voters in Capiz won’t put this guy in that seat!
Vicious cycle – a government official using his position to corrupt and get his hands on all the money he can get, maybe tried but never convicted and still get special treatment because of sleep problem or whatever health excuse he can concoct, then run for an office come election time supposedly to extricate all previous cases and allegations! Wait, that’s not the worst part – THEY F$#@#@!*&^*&%$%#G get elected.
true! true! and get re-elected pa!
why is his name Jocelyn? Is he a guy or a girl?
he’s a guy. baka mermaid hehehe
You are definitely correct in your observation that the Comelec will disqualify candidates and party lists based on their misguided perception of morality but will NOT disqualify anyone who even stinks to high heaven of corruption and legal thievery.
What they will say is that the person isn’t convicted of anything – yeah right, tell that to Jalosjos who won even when he was in jail!!!
The Election Code needs an enema, a colonoscopy procedure done as well as a CT Scan. Corrupt people in govt have already overstayed their welcome, they have abused the Constitution as well. Just because “anyone” can be president of this country they’ve included thieves and rapists and child molesters into the fray.
argh! that Jalosjos! ~!@#$%^&*(@#
@Lunarequinox-
You brought up valid observation. Why are we allowing these people to run for office when their criminal and ethical backgrounds are beyond disgusting? But the other half of the equation is, why are the voters electing them? Wala na bang iba?
While I agree with you that these people found a loophole in the law and are exploiting it, my frustration is not directed to COMELEC. This agency’s hands are tied.
My frustration is directed more towards the senators and congressmen na walang silbi! Yung sa case ni Jalosjos, totoong he was convicted as rapist ng lower court. Then at the time that he ran for congress, he was only convicted by the court of appeals. Naka appeal pa yung case nya sa Supreme Court. When the conviction was upheld by the SC, saka pa lang binura yung name nya sa listahan ng house of representatives pero nanalo na sya sa election nun at sumuweldo at nag enjoy ng pork barrel fund for two years(?).
Why didn’t the senators and congressmen seal these loose ends of the election code? Siyempre innocent until proven guilty should always be upheld but how about a law that says kapag na convict ang isang akusado of a case that was filed prior to filing candidacy, lahat ng sinuweldo nya isauli sa kaban ng bayan with 20% interest??? That may make those criminals think twice before running for office di ba?
Si Bolante ba nakasuhan ba sa korte? Was there ever a case filed against him in the court of law? Wala! The closes we had as legal action against these plunderers is the complaint filed by Esperat sa ombudsman.
Yung arrest warant nya, for contempt kasi he failed to attend senate inquiry in aid of legislation! An opportunity for our elected lawmakers to grandstand! May nangyari ba sa inquiry na yun? May bagong batas ba na naisulat in relation to Bolante’s case?
Ultimately, voters need to think! Huwag bumoto ng mga lawmakers na walang alam at walang gagawin sa kamara kundi magpakyut, wede vah?
Ateng Kutz,
Marami din questionable sa mga so-called candidates ngayon. How about Jovito Palparan??
Di ba may human rights cases din yun? And if I am not mistaken, ang chairman pa ng commission na nagimbestiga kay Palparan is no other than Comelec Commissioner Melo.
Que barbaridad!!!
~saboy kape sa laughtop~
~emailing reyna for keyburd insurance~
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Do you have any listings of election candidates na merong mga exisiting cases? Please write about them! Let’s out them!!
Good idea, Abby. Parang hall of shame kind of thing. Agree ako diyan but it has to be cases filed in the proper forum – sa korte. Hindi yung puro unfounded accusations lang kasi delikado rin na ma exploit lang ng mga namemersonal or naninira lang ang ganitong move.
I believe the people of Capiz knows the right thing.
‘di bala?
What about another website “The Hall of Filipino Trash”, a shame online campaign….
Yes…that’s a great idea gcol pero we have to take lutz advice, dapat yung me mga cases lang. Pero pwede rim siguro include yung high profile pero hindi nakasuhan. We only have less than a month before the election, hopefully whoever is running against these people have already educated the masses of their anomalies.
Ano yan Joc lang? Ang sy*o*a naman ng boboto sa kanya. Taga dyan sa Capiz ang relatives ng father in law ko. Wish di sya manalo.
A friend in my facebook account said that “ang pulitika sa Pilipinas ay circus ng mga diyablo.” I argued and disagreed with him. Owe him one big time. He was right.
I need a very huge dose of anaesthesia. I can’t contain this anymore. Parang gusto ko mambato ng netbook sa galit.
Capiz people,pls. wake up. Please, parang awa nyo na.