CEBU, Philippines – Denying she claimed Capitol was bankrupt despite newspaper reports to the contrary speaks volumes about Vice Governor Agnes Magpale's integrity as a person and as public official, according to former congresswoman Nerissa Soon-Ruiz.
Soon-Ruiz was reacting to Magpale's statement saying she never declared the Capitol to be bankrupt. The two are gunning for the vice gubernatorial post in the province in next year's elections.
"Di man intawn na maayo'ng mamakak ta labi na gyud og dali kaayo'ng masakpan ato'ng bakak. Kapagya ato'ng claim niya pag 2013 nga bankrupt ang Kapitolyo. Ug sayop to'ng mga news about her claim, kaniadto ra unta niya gi-correct ug gi-deny. Ngano'ng karon ra man two years later?" said Soon-Ruiz of One Cebu Party.
Last week, Magpale clarified she was just asking former provincial treasurer Roy Salubre if the provincial government was bankrupt when she assumed as acting governor on December 2012 following the suspension of then governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
Salubre, in his cash report to Magpale, showed that there was P90.418 million in the province's general fund, of which only P65.6 million could be spent for Capitol operations and they needed extra money to pay for salaries of employees for the month.
Soon-Ruiz said the recent report of the Commission on Audit indicating Cebu as among the top in terms of financial equity might be the reason of Magpale's denial at this point in time.
She said the COA report is evidence that Magpale's bankruptcy claim was a lie and was just part of her party's propaganda against Garcia.
"Karon, klaro na man that it was all a lie that they perpetrated to destroy the former governor. Before, Magpale announced the lie that Capitol was already bankrupt. Now, she is spreading another lie: that she never said such thing. So pasabot ba niya nga ang tanang media nga ni-report ato sa una mao'y bakakon?" Soon-Ruiz said.
"Telling the truth is a value that we must teach our children. And what she's doing is a big irony now considering that for a long time she has been with the Provincial Council on the Welfare of Children," she added.
Garcia said earlier Magpale "is no financial wizard" who could have led the Capitol from out of bankruptcy to financial success.
Magpale served as acting governor for six months following Garcia's suspension on December 19, 2012.
The FREEMAN reported on June 29, 2013 that as of March 31, 2013, the Province had P615.4 million gross income and a total asset of P28 billion while as of June 25, 2013, it had a total of P791.4 million cash in bank and a dollar account amounting to $517,728.36.
Garcia said these are attested facts by the provincial treasurer which, from the time we presented at the turnover ceremony up to now, have never been refuted by Governor Hilario Davide III himself. — Gregg M. Rubio/JMO (FREEMAN)