Gov posts bail for graft

MANILA, Philippines - Masbate Gov. Antonio Kho has posted P60,000 bail for a graft case in connection with his alleged involvement in the multimillion-peso fertilizer scam.

Kho and his lawyer went to the Sandiganbayan on Thursday to be booked after posting bail for two counts of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The Office of the Ombudsman indicted Kho last week for allegedly conspiring with bids and awards committee chairman Roger Rapsing in the questionable purchase of liquid fertilizer amounting to P4.9 million in 2004.

Aside from Kho and Rapsing, named respondents in the case were fertilizer suppliers Alex Rivera and Victoria Ajero, president and manager, respectively of Hexaphil Agriventures Inc.

The ombudsman said no public bidding was conducted for the project. It said Kho and Rapsing violated the rules on procurement when they picked a specific brand of fertilizer despite the availability of a cheaper alternative of the same quality.

Anti-graft investigators said the eligibility document submitted by the suppliers was spurious.