Former mayor Wagas to Red: Account pork barrel projects

CEBU - Former Compostela town mayor Gilbert Wagas is challenging Cebu fifth district Representative Ramon “Red” Durano VI to account for his pork barrel projects, especially his road concreting projects in the town.

Wagas said Durano should properly account for the road concreting projects in barangays Tag-ubi, Dapdap, Bagalnga, Cabadiangan, Cambayog, Estaca and Cogon to determine if the implementation followed the rules.

Cris Pagot, a member of Durano’s staff, defended the congressman, saying the projects implemented in the fifth district using the Priority Development Assistance Fund were properly monitored by the Department of Public Works and Highways who implemented the project.

Parot said Durano’s office only identifies the project and it is already the DPWH that implements the same. He added that Wagas should check the records of DPWH so the latter would be clarified.

Wagas’ challenge came after Durano expressed support to opposition councilors who went against Richie over the annual budget for 2008, which remains under deliberation.

Wagas also alleged that the peace rally last Monday at the Compostela Municipal Hall was a strategy to divert the attention from the alleged failure of the opposition-dominated municipal council to pass and approve the annual budget for 2008.

Durano said the council did the right thing in dissecting the proposed budget because first and foremost, it is their duty and responsibility to do so. After all, the councilors are mandated to protect the people’s interest and not that of the mayor’s, Durano had said.

But Wagas argued, saying “what is there to protect in the absence of an appropriation ordinance? It is fallacious to claim that in order to protect people’s money. No annual budget shall be passed.”

He further alleged that the only justification for the non-passage of the annual budget is purely partisan politics. — Jose P. Sollano/JMO (The Freeman)