Politics heats up in Daanbantayan

CEBU, Philippines- Retired Police Chief Superintendent Vicente Loot has asked Daanbantayan Mayor Augusto Corro to respect his privacy being a civilian now.

Loot personally confronted Corro at the mayor’s office last week after the latter reportedly stopped a private contractor working in his farm. The contractor is working on the resettlement site for typhoon Yolanda victims, a project of the National Housing Authority.

Loot told The Freeman they paid the contractor to dig holes intended for the replacement of around 400 mango trees uprooted during the typhoon.

“Di man kaato ang mga tawo sa kagahi sa bato, naa may private contractor amo gisabot kung okey ba sila, amo bayran. Nisugot man, gitrabaho og Sunday nga wa sila’y trabaho sa government project,” Loot said.

 However, Corro reportedly went to the area and scolded the contractor for doing the work.

 Corro cannot be reached for comment as he was reportedly in Manila with the rest of Cebu mayors.

What prompted Loot to confront Corro for the first time was when the mayor publicly accused the former of being abusive.

“Gisulti sa radio ug sa flag raising nga wa pa gani ko kalingkod abusado nako, nanggamit nako og butang sa gobyerno,” Loot said.

 Loot is already in Daanbantayan and is set to run for mayor against Corro next year.

Loot is the husband of former mayor Maria Luisa Loot and the stepfather of Provincial Board Member Sun Shimura.

 Loot said he confronted Corro to find out what’s wrong but the latter reportedly said it was just a “misimpression” on his part.

 “Ako giingnan nga ako moatubang gyud ko, kung sayop mosulti gyud ko. Ako hangyo ayaw lang ang ako’ng personal kay wa ko sa gobyerno,” Loot said.

 The meeting of Loot and Corro also solved the problem of the venue of the upcoming motocross competition on Sunday organized by Councilor Marilou Pepito, an ally of Loot, in line of the town fiesta celebration.

Corro allegedly did not allow the event to be held outside Poblacion and stopped the work on the race track in a private lot in Barangay Pajo.

 Loot offered their four-hectare lot to serve as the final venue.  (FREEMAN)