CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City South District Representative Tomas R. Osmeña defended Councilor Rodrigo “Bebot†Abellanosa by saying that there's nothing illegal in the participation of Bebot's school in the city's scholarship program.
Osmeña and Abellanosa are political allies under the Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK) in coalition with the Liberal Party.
According to Osmeña, although Abellanosa's Asian College of Technology (ACT) has more scholars than other schools, this is because ACT also gives them P11,000 scholarship grant.
“Gamay na lang g'yud kaayo ang mabayran sa mga students kon anha sila sa ACT moeskwela,†said Osmeña who argued that the students should not be prevented if they want to be enrolled at ACT. (Students will be paying a lot less in ACT.)
The City of Cebu is giving P10,000 scholarship grant to each scholar per semester, and another P1,000 for their school supplies.
Osmeña explained that because ACT is also giving the same benefits to each scholar, this lessens the burden of the parents. This gives “no undue advantage†to Abellanosa, he added.
Some of Mayor Michael Rama's allies plan to make amendments to the policy to put a ceiling on the number of students that could be accommodated to a particular school per semester.
Abellanosa's main political opponent in the south district, lawyer Aristotle “Totol†Batuhan, had filed an administrative complaint against Abellanosa before the Office of the President for conflict of interest.
The city legislator is hesitant to furnish the media a copy of his counter-affidavit.
According to Batuhan, even if Abellanosa's school is only earning P10,000 from each of the city scholars that are studying in his school, it is still considered conflict of interest.(FREEMAN)