Singaporean Feshan executive's deposition sought

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon today requested the Philippine Embassy in Singapore to secure immediately the deposition of Derek Glass, the Singaporean incorporator of Feshan Philippines, the alleged supplier of liquid fertilizers for the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

Gordon, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, issued the request to Ambassador Minda Cruz on Glass company's participation in the fund scam allegedly engineered by former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante.

Gordon wanted to clarify a statement purportedly attributed to Glass that the latter was not aware of the contract his company entered with the government.

He also wanted to verify reports that the liquid fertilizer delivered were allegedly of sub-standard quality.

Based on media reports, Glass earlier claimed the company and the Bio-Nature fertilizer brand might have been "used" unscrupulously by his local partners. He disavowed involvement in the scam and said he was surprised to be linked to it.

Glass also reportedly denied that Bio-Nature fertilizer, made by the Singapore-based Bio Nature Technology of which he is a major stockholder, was "substandard" as reported.