Tupas aide scoffs at solons, critics
Dismisses House probe as 'fishing expedition'

By Florence F. Hibionada

Critics of Governor Niel Tupas have failed to deliver their punches.  And the 'bombshells' on the ongoing congressional airport probe? It went "pfffft" with not as much of a whimper for an 'explosion.'

Such and more have now been countered by top Tupas aide, Provincial Administrator Manuel "Boy" Mejorada days after the House Committee on Good Government brought to Iloilo its investigation.

Calling the continued media attacks as "below the belt," rubbish, childish and downright rude, Mejorada who got the 'beating' from probing solons lashed back in his defense alongside his contention that there is a grand design to silence him and attack his boss.

The public pronouncements were made Saturday in a paid broadcast over MBC Iloilo Aksyon Radyo, The Capitol in Action.  A former commentator and veteran journalist, Mejorada stood pat on his earlier statements downplaying the charges of Board Member Manny Gallar and lawyer Zafiro Lauron.  Said charges were all directed against the governor that has now opened the House probe in an inquiry into allegations of anomalies and corruption on the implementation of the P6.2 billion airport project.

And it has become a "fishing expedition," Mejorada said of the Committee on Good Government investigation while adding how the committee needs to straighten up its acts.

"After three public hearings..have these allegations, ini balang mga panumbungon napamatud-an sa sining mga inquiry? Ha? Napamatud-an bala ining mga panumbungon nanday Board Member Manny Gallar kag Atty. Boy Lauron? Te, kung ako ang pamangkuton ninyo, the answer is No!  Wala gid (these charges, were it proven in this inquiry? Were the accusations of Board Member Gallar and Atty. Lauron proven? If you ask me, the answer is "no," not at all) , " he said in the Capitol radio program.  "Because ang natabo mga kauturan nahimo ni 'ya nga (what happened was it became a) fishing expedition.  Nahimo na ni nga (It became an) inquisition, nalipatan na ang mga (forgotten were) basic issues nga amo ang gintunaan nga amo ang kabangdanan nga ginahiwat ini nga (that caused the) committee investigation sang Committee on Good Government.  Nadula na ang matuod-tuod nga isyu kay nagapangita na gid lamang sila sang mahimo matudlo nga kasal-anan ni (Gone were the real issues and they are just looking for mistakes of) Governor Niel Tupas. It has become a fishing expedition nga kung ano dira ang masandaran, te amo naman ina ang ila bombahon (that whatever they stumble upon, then they use it for their attacks) ."

"We are in a democracy and everybody is entitled into a due process.  Kung gusto sang komitiba pinaagi sa kay Congressman Defensor nga wala sang pangduwa-duwa, tadlungon nila ang pama-agi dira, the procedures.  Bisan sin-o lang ya makatusmaw.  Kung congressman ka gali, kung may kaakig ka kay Governor Tupas, kay Boy Mejorada, puede mo masakyan ang nasambit nga forum para makabalos ka kay Governor Tupas, makabalos ka kay Boy Mejorada," he said. 

Such, as he also revealed suspicions raised by two solons who allegedly said the Committee on Good Government may have been used by the governor's detractors.  Mejorada failed to name the two congressmen but qualified that both were present during the second hearing in Congress.

The controversial Provincial Administrator went on further to discredit the personalities called on by the committee who all had negative issues against Tupas.  From former Capitol consultant Badal Trompeta to former Provincial Legal Officer Manuel Justiniani, Mejorada lashed at the duo deriding both for what he said were their baseless and ill-motives.  Similar contention lodged against lawyers Cornelio Panes and Virgilio Sindico of the People's Graftwatch saying Monsignor Meliton Oso must take a look into its group lest doubts are raised against its credibility.

" Dapat kung matuod ini nga (If this is a real) watchdog, kung matuod ini nga tagbantay, ang mga katapo sini wala sang (if this is genuine, then its members must be void of ) political affiliation, wala sang kahilabtanan sa politika, wala sang katuyuan nga madudahan naton kungdi putli kag matinlo gid ang ila katuyuan (no political interests, no motives that could raise doubts but only pure and clean objectives) not the likes of Atty. Kune Panes, not the likes of Atty. Virgilio "Viling" Sindico," Mejorada added.