ANOTHER  alleged anomaly  involving the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund has  been raked up in a Department of Agriculture-supervised firm said to have cost both the previous Macapagal-Arroyo presidency and now the Aquino government hundreds in millions of pesos is now another major challenge for new Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

A one-inch thick document furnished to the Journal Group detailed the alleged anomalies that have taken place and are still allegedly taking place at the National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR), a government-owned and controlled corporation holding office at the 262022D West Tower of the Philippine Stock Exchange Center in Ortigas, Pasig City.

In a letter to Ombudsman Carpio-Morales ast July 15, a group called for the filing of Technical Malversation of Public Funds and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices against NABCOR Board of Director and Executive Vice President Honesto F. Banqued and Vice-President Elvira Roseph Velasco-Castelo for allegedly figuring in dubious transactions and corrupt practices at the DA-run office.

Similar charges were also recommended by the complainants against the following NABCOR officials: Emerson U. Palad, Board of Director and Corporate Treasurer; Marilou C. Sanchez, Vice-President for Finance; Reynaldo B. Almenario, Business Development Manager-Resource Generation of Management and Information Services Department and Mary Jean S. Robelo, Executive Staff Officer of DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala.

The Ombudsman was also asked to file charges for violation of the Ant-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against the following: Semilya Sa Kinabuhi Inc. based in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon; Christine Angela Q. Baniqued and Doreen Joy D. Guevarra of the GTGF Food Corporation with office at no. 29 General Luna Street, Banaba, San Mateo, Rizal; Masinag Fertilizers based in Antipolo City, Rizal; and Eduardo F. Landaya, national president of the Kaisahan ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura In. with office at the Philippine Coconut Authority Compound in Elliptical Road, Quezon City for allegedly conniving with the NABCOR executives in order to secure business opportunities in their favor.

The request was made before the Ombudsman by the Kilusan ng mga Magbubukid, Northern Luzon, Sta. Maria, Bulacan represented by one Ramirez. Several insiders confirmed the story on condition their names will be withheld until the Ombudsman formally investigates the matter.

In a letter to Ombudsman Carpio-Morales, the complainants explained that the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or ACEF is government money aimed at supporting projects to make the agricultural sector globally competitive and sustainable.

The DA thus sees to it that agribusiness enterprises, NGOs, LGUs and other people’s organizations will have priority in the grant of the ACEF.

In 2007, NABCOR bought an Agrifreeze and Processing Complex in Clarkfield, Pampanga to the tune of P190 million. Allegedly, the DA gave NABCOR P190 million from the ACEF because the concept of buying the Clarkfield-based complex conforms to the ACEF guidelines.

However, the complainants claimed that their investigation showed the following alleged anomalies:

First, the complexes were bought at P190 million by NABCOR, one in Clarkfield and the second in Tarlac City.

Second, they claimed that they discovered that no feasibility studynd business-profitability evaluation was conducted for the transaction.

Third, only one appraiser conducted the valuation and appraisal of the properties in violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act as amended.

Fourth, the procurement of the properties did not pass through the requirement of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Fifth, the machineries and equipment bought by NABCOR  are about 200 percent overpriced at the time of appraisal; and sixth, NABCOR bought a bankrupt corporation at that time and still on the negative side to this date due to non-submission of true financial statement.

The complainants claimed that a NABCOR accountant was axed from her post after she discovered the anomalies in the current operation and transactions being made at the Agrifreeze Processing Complex.

“To sum it up, the Agrifreeze Processing Complex is a failure. The project itself failed to justify that the business will earn,” the complainants said citing alleged connivance between Castelo and Danilo N. Tan, president of the Agri-Fruit Freezing Corporation in submitting false facts and recommending the approval of the project to the NABCOR president.

(to be concluded)