Mayors reject Capitol claim on financial aid

CEBU, Philippines - At least two municipal mayors from the third district debunked Capitol's claim that the P40 million financial assistance given to Liberal Party members in the district few days before the campaign period started was released upon the request of concerned local officials.

 Pinamungajan Mayor Glenn Baricuatro said they were not informed about the clean and green project dubbed the "Gasa sa Kabarangayan" wherein the provincial government gave out at least P1 million financial assistance to the barangay.

"Wala mi ka-request kay wala man pud mi pahibaw-a," Baricuatro told The Freeman.

Only eight out of 26 barangays of Pinamungajan received assistance from the Capitol through the legislative assistance fund of Provincial Board Member Grecilda Sanchez-Zaballero.   The beneficiaries included Barangays Tupas, Camugao, Lamac, Binabag, Tajao, Opao, Tutay, and Cabiangon. Except for Lamac which was given P1.5 million the rest received P1 million each.

Baricuatro lamented why Zaballero, one of the district representatives in the board, had chosen only LP-allied barangays as beneficiaries when she is supposed to represent the whole district.

"Iyaha man unta ni'ng distrito. Pero nadawat naman pud namo nga di gyud ni fair ang kalibutan," said Baricuatro, who is a member of One Cebu Party.

Asturias Mayor Allan Adlawan said there have been several requests to the Capitol from the barangay captains in his town but these were not acted upon because they were identified with the opposition.

Adlawan said he can even provide copies of the request from the barangay captains.

"Kadaghang request nga wala nila tagda, napul-an nalang ang mga kapitan og request," Adlawan said.

Provincial information officer Ethel Natera earlier said the release of assistance to the barangays was based on request. She said this has been the policy of Governor Hilario Davide III.

Adlawan, however, was thankful that the barangay captains allied with him were not included in the beneficiaries of the clean and green program, which he described as an act of "robbery."  

 "Kawat ra man gud na. Tulis man na sa atubangan," Adlawan said.

"Nagpasalamat mi nga wala mi apila kay one hundred percent I'll be filing a case," Adlawan added.

Only six out of 27 barangays-- Tubod, Ubogon, Agbanga, Bairan, Lanao, and Poblacion-- in Asturias were given P1 million each.

Aside from Pinamungajan and Asturias, some barangays in Toledo City and Aloguinsan also received the financial aid. Only the towns of Barili and Tuburan whose mayors are members of LP were given the lump sum amount of P8 million and P5 million, respectively. Of the six towns in third district, only Balamban did not receive financial assistance. 

 The financial assistance came from Zaballero's legislative assistance fund (P30 million) and the Office of the Governor (P10 million).  (FREEMAN)