Word war between DAR chief, Nueva Ecija lawmaker intensifies

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — From the unprintable invectives and near-fisticuffs to complaints in black and white, the word war between Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza and Rep. Raul Villareal (fourth district, Nueva Ecija) has hit a new intensity.

Villareal lashed back yesterday at Braganza and said the P23-million infrastructure project funded by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is riddled with anomalies. Villareal has vowed to expose these and other anomalies in the DAR over the coming weeks.

In an interview with The STAR, Villareal denied Braganza’s claims that he hurled invectives at Braganza during a budget hearing at the House of Representatives Tuesday.

Braganza filed a complaint against Villareal for the legislator’s supposed unethical conduct, grossly abusive behavior and conduct unbecoming of a member of the House before the chamber’s ethics committee headed by Rep. Antonio Abaya.

Braganza also said he welcomes any information on alleged scams within DAR. This information, he said, "would greatly help in the drive to eradicate graft and corruption within the government."

He also said Villareal is "welcome" to file any complaint against anybody in the (DAR). "However, he must be sure that he substantiates his allegations for purposes of fairness and legitimacy," Braganza said.

So heated was the argument between Braganza and Villareal that the session floor of the House nearly became a boxing arena, as the two prepared for a fist-fight Tuesday. Cooler heads within the chamber — including Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. — intervened and averted the fight.

Braganza sought Villareal’s expulsion from the House and for the transmittal of all records pertinent to his complaint against Villareal to the Office of the Ombudsman preparatory to the filing of criminal charges against the congressman.

Villareal denied Braganza’s allegations he hurled invectives at the DAR chief. "If that is so, why did he (Braganza) not include it in the complaint?"

The Nueva Ecija lawmaker said it was Braganza who sounded apologetic in his letter to De Venecia for cursing him.

Villareal said he welcomed Braganza’s complaint, as it would give him the opportunity to air his side of the matter at the proper forum, which is Abaya’s committee.

In a speech before some 5,000 scholars here Saturday afternoon, Villareal said his outburst against Braganza was a result of the DAR chief’s refusal to act immediately on his recommendation that the DAR conduct a re-bidding of the five-kilometer, P23-million farm-to-market road in San Antonio town.

The Nueva Ecija legislator’s recommendation was made after he hear complaints from RM Pingol Construction, one of the project bidders who said the bidding was anomalous.