Team PNoy senatorial candidate former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. is knocking anew on Sandiganbayan's door to address corruption in the bureaucracy by immediately handing down its decision on the P728-million fertilizer fund scam case.
"Kailangan pong maresolba ito ng Sandiganbayan upang hindi na sa hinaharap. Dapat managot ang may mga sala. Masyado nang matagal ang kaso. Katarungan sa magsasakang Pilipino ang kailangan," he said during the Team PNoy' s campaign rally in Butuan City.
The 74- year old Magsaysay served as the former chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture that recommended the filing of case against various personalities involved, including the so-called chief architect of the fund scam, former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-joc" Bolante and Agriculture Sec. Luis Lorenzo Jr.
Magsaysay asked the anti- graft court justices to rule in favor of the poor farmers, lamenting that the previous leadership of the Sandiganbayan sat on the case for six years.
"With due courtesy to the court, I am appealing to the honorable justices of the Sandiganbayan to be honorable and expedite decision-making on the fertilizer scam. Their decision is needed by the farmers' quest to justice" he said.
The Magsaysay panel handed down the results of the investigation to resigned Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez after it terminated the inquiry in 2007.
The Ombudsman already filed a case before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the fertilizer fund scam which allegedly involved former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, Lorenzo and Bolante.