Senate cops to fetch Paule from St. Luke’s — Gordon

02/12/2009

Senate’s standing arrest order against alleged fixer and financier in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, businessman Jaime “Jimmy” Paule, is not about to be withdrawn.

“I will wait for him to come out of the hospital,” said Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the blue ribbon committee who has taken over inquiry into the said fund scam.

The senator said this following reports on Paule evading the upper chamber’s so-called process servers out to arrest him in his Antipolo residence Tuesday evening, immediately after the directives, signed by the 18 lawmakers, was issued to the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA).

Paule is said to be in the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, after experiencing some heart problems.

“We will serve the warrant even while he’s in hospital but he will not bring him out of confinement. He can stay there but the moment he goes out of the hospital, we will effect the warrant,” Gordon said.

The chair, in explaining the latest move taken against Paule, said the businessman is also facing perjury charges anytime soon for attempting to downplay the authenticity of evidence, a photograph showing him in the company of other supposed key players in the alleged fund scam, presented by no less than the panel chair.

“To me, that is the ultimate insult. We’re giving him the opportunity to come here and say I’m sorry. Then that’s it. So long as he doesn’t say it, we will meet again after three days,” the senator said by way of explaining why Paule is being detained only three days when the upper chamber rules dictates that a person cited in contempt can purge himself of the charges by telling the truth.

The senator said the OSAA personnel who were on a stake-out at Paule’s residence, had been pulled out and instead ordered to man the entry and exit points of the hospital to ensure that the warrant will be served the moment that the businessman steps out of the medical facility.

“For testifying falsely and evasively before the committee on Jan. 20 and 26, 2009 thereby delaying, impeding and obstructing the inquiry into the subject reported irregularities in the implementation of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani Program. For his blatant show of disrespect during the hearing of Jan. 26, 2009 when, presented by the chairman with the photographic evidence, he, on several instances had the gall and the temerity to deny the authenticity of the photograph even when four other witnesses had testified that the event captured therein indeed transpired. His condescending behavior continued when he implied that the photograph presented to him by the chairman was fabricated (through) ‘modern techniques,’” the order said.

Upon Gordon’s recommendation, the arrest order was signed by 16 other members of the committee and approved by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Among those who signed the arrest order are Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Gregorio Honasan, Ramon Revilla Jr., Edgardo Angara, Panfilo Lacson, Ma. Ana Consuelo Madrigal, Mar Roxas, Rodolfo Biazon, Loren Legarda, Manuel Lapid, Francis Escudero, Francis Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano, Joker Arroyo and Alan Peter Cayetano.

Only Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago, Antonio Trillanes and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada did not sign the arrest order. Santiago is on an indefinite leave, Trillanes under detention, while Estrada is reportedly recuperating in the hospital.

Gordon said Paule would be detained at the Pasay City Jail for three days.

Paule earned the ire of the committee members after he failed to satisfactorily answer queries about his alleged participation in the alleged anomalous farm input-farm implement project amounting to some P728 million.

During the Jan. 26 hearing, Paule repeatedly denied knowing Marylene Araos, Feshan Philippines president Julie Gregorio and Feshan vice president Reden Antolin, even as he was shown a photo with them during Leonicia Llarena’s birthday celebration.

Paule also denied having any part in the planning and implementation of the project, even when Araos, Llarena and Marites Aytona all pointed to him as the one giving orders to them.

Aytona told the senators that it was Paule who would tell which foundations would be accredited for the project and that other instructions in its implementation would come from him.

Llarena, owner of Dane Publishing, also testified that it was Paule who approached her to seek assistance in issuing checks for the project. Both Llarena and Paule and their respective families had been friends for some time.

Araos, for her part, admitted she was ordered by Paule to open a bank account for Feshan Philippines, the biggest supplier of the project, and sign blank checks for the firm, threatening her that she would lose her job if she refused to do so.

Further evidence against Paule are at least three Feshan checks endorsed to him as proven by the markings “c/o Mr. Paule” written at the back of the checks.

Angie M. Rosales

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