Plunder raps against Agriculture Sec. Yap

Two partylist solons and a militant fisherfolk group made true its threat against Secretary Arthur Yap as it filed plunder raps against him, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and six others in relation to the alleged overpriced procurement of ice-making machines under the principle of command responsibility.

However, Sec. Yap, who is unchallenged in his bid for Bohol’s third district congressional seat, debunked the charges as “pure harassment” saying he had “no direct participation in whatever capacity” over the purchase which was handled by the National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor).

Yap told the Chronicle the charges filed against him is just a publicity stunt fabricated by the militant group who are seeking media mileage to obtain votes needed to clinch sectoral seats in Congress.

The two main complainants of the plunder complaint filed at the Ombudsman on the first working day of 2010 are Anakpawis Partylist Representatives Rafael Mariano and Joel Maglunsod and Pambansang Lakas ng mga Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) chair Fernando Hicap and vice chair Salvador France.

Pamalakaya, which provided a copy of its complaint to the Chronicle yesterday, said Pres. Arroyo and Sec. Yap should be held liable for the Department of Agriculture’s procurement of the ice-making machines.

It claimed that in September 2009, Integrated Refrigeration System and Services was awarded a contract to supply 98 ice-making units at P4.6 million a unit—about P2.3 million higher than the prevailing industry price.

Yap dismissed the allegations saying the Nabcor is distinct and separate from the DA. He said the Nabcor is a government owned and controlled corporation with its own officers and board of directors who handle transactions such as the acquisition of the refrigeration equipment.

The agriculture boss and Lakas-Kampi CMD candidate for congressman in the third district said he is optimistic the Ombudsman will drop the charges against him. Other than the absence of his participation in the purchase, the process went through an open competitive bidding, as explained by Nabcor officials.

In an interview with radio station dyRD, Nabcor spokesperson Atty. Kathyrin Pioquinto pointed out that Yap was not even part of the bidding for the 98 ice-making machines which the militant groups alleged to be overpriced by P2.3 million each.

Pioquinto challenged the Pamalakaya to present its evidence in dragging the name of Yap and that of the President in the application of the principle of command responsibility.