By JUDE C. GALFORD III
Senate is still clueless on the attendance of former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante in today’s hearing on the alleged multi-million peso fertilizer scam.
The committee on agriculture, chaired by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. expects the presence of Bolante, who has been served a subpoena, but a Senate source, however, said that Bolante has not made any communication if he would appear at today’s hearing.
The subpoena was served to Bolante last week and received by his son.
Since the start of the committee hearings last month, Bolante, a principal figure in the alleged
R728- million fertilizer scam, arrived on Dec. 4 from previous engagements abroad, prompting the Senate committee on agriculture to serve the ex-DA official a subpoena to compel him to attend the hearings on the fertilizer scam and to commence with the investigations.
"We expect him to attend but he has not made any communications," said a Senate source.
The fertilizer scam was spurred by an investigative report outlining how Department of Agriculture funds were funneled, allegedly by Bolante, to ensure that President Arroyo will win the May 2004 elections.
The report said that Bolante distributed
R728 million in DA money among chosen Congressmen and local politicians in an effort to buy their loyalty. 
