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P100M loan triggers in-house SP squabble

By Florence F. Hibionada

Oso

Strong and spiteful words were exchanged between key figures in the Iloilo Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) that has divided anew members of the majority and minority bloc.

In fact, the latest SP 'event' pitied a former teacher and his 'best student' in a war of words that livened Tuesday's regular session.

The source of it all? The P100 million loan intended for the purchase of heavy equipment with the contract unratified and subject of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) of a Guimbal Court.

In twin privilege speeches, administration Board Members Domingo Oso and the governor's son, Niel Tupas Jr. took turns in hitting members of the minority group composed of Board Members Mac Napulan, Bernardo Silla, Licurgo Tirador and Manny Gallar for seeking the TRO.

Tupas Jr. in his speech focused his ire not only the four minority 'conscience bloc' but on Guimbal Judge Teodulo Colada as he strongly reminded the group that the 'essence of democracy is the rule of majority.'

Armada

It should be noted, he said, that Judge Colada who issued the now controversial TRO for the P100 million loan is still subject of a pending administrative case before the Supreme Court (SC). The Judge, Tupas Jr. reminded the body, stands accused of gross ignorance of the law, patent bias and abuse of authority. And he has 'personal animosity' to the SP particularly since it was Tupas Jr. himself who moved for the cancellation of his allowance given by the Iloilo Provincial Government to members of the Judiciary.

Further still, the governor's son added, he is the same Judge whose decision in Special Proceedings 83297 was reversed in November 3, 2004 by the Court of Appeals. With the reversal came a number of supposed SC cases that called on the Judge to inhibit himself in handling complaints relative to the affairs of the Iloilo Provincial Government.

'Respect the rule of majority and do your obligations in delivering basic services to the people,' Tupas Jr. said to the minority group while 'appealing' for the 'conscience' of the conscience-bloc.

'What kind of minority the conscience bloc has turned into?,' he asked while saying that it was 'deplorable' for them to file the TRO. It has also 'dismayed more than surprised' him but he will not discuss the merits of the case 'if it has any.'

Equally stronger words too from Board Member Oso who wanted Napulan's group disciplined for alleged unparliamentary conduct. The group, he also tagged, has become 'conscienceless block' as he went further to label Vice Governor Roberto Armada as 'co-conspirator.'

The Vice Governor would later stand to object the accusation yet as rebuffed by Oso, 'I will stand by my word.'

'I am disturbed, ladies and gentlemen, of the recent incident where esteemed members of this body misnamed 'conscience bloc' betrayed its paucity of conscience or public concern when it resorted to unparliamentary conduct in order to attain its nefarious ends of derailing the provincial administration,' Oso said in his fiery speech. 'I don't have to mention them by names here but suffice it to say that they had kept their mouths shut, they nary raised a whimper of protest much less stood up during the regular session of 27 September 2005 so to inform their colleagues and their constituency of the pros and cons of Resolution 2005-156 and the contract it ratified and confirmed.'

In the end, Oso, on record, was called by the Vice Governor as 'rabied attack dog of the administration.'

Reached for further comment, the Vice Governor said it was 'ridiculous' for Oso to call for disciplinary measure while saying that it was 'totally unfair' of his former teacher to label him as 'co-conspirator.'

Incidentally, Armada was once introduced by Oso to a Visayas convention of Board Members as his 'best student.'

Napulan and Silla for their part refused to comment on Oso and Tupas Jr.'s tirades saying the matter is now in Court and is best handled by the Court.

'I have so much to say but again, I respect our Judiciary so I will leave it at that,' Silla ended.

Meanwhile, the P100 million loan awaits realization alongside the purchase of heavy equipment.

The minority in blocking the move raised questions on the regularity of the process employed to contract the loan.