Oso challenges solons to name meddling prov'l official
The expose of Ilonggo solons on the alleged meddling of a provincial official in the affairs of the House Committee on Good Government has been met by disbelief and surprise by a senior member of the Iloilo Provincial Board.
Disbelief because for Board Member Domingo Oso, it does not make sense that an "ordinary" provincial official can interfere and cause such meddling as told by the Ilonggo Congressmen.
Surprise because while the statement of condemnation was issued and media interviews and press statements were made, the identity of this supposed meddler was left a 'secret.'
In a press statement from the Office of Congressman Ferjinel Biron, 'clues' were told on the meddler being an Iloilo Provincial Official, a lawyer and a scion of a prominent family.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this unwarranted meddling in the purely internal affairs of the House of Representatives. We wish to remind this Iloilo Provincial official that the House of Representatives is neither an extension of the Iloilo Provincial Government nor a barangay in his hometown. He has absolutely no business interfering in the preparation of confidential matters of any committee of the House of Representatives," the press statement went.
Strong words followed by yet stronger statement that went, "We cannot allow this Iloilo provincial to continue his unhampered and malicious interference in the conduct of congressional inquiries concerning anomalies in Iloilo Province. We warn him to immediately cease and desist from continuing his undue meddling, otherwise we shall name him and cite him for contempt."
"I don't buy the idea," Oso said when reached for reaction. "How can an ordinary provincial official do that to them in Congress? I cannot fathom that. It is impossible really and personally, I am not aware that somebody is interested in the inquiry results. It is really very remote. And there are only four lawyers in the Provincial Board if they are referring to us and I deny being the one."
Oso further went on to challenge the solons to identify their meddler and be clear with the extent of meddling while saying, "a meddler in the Provincial Government to the affairs of Congress? I cannot accept that. They are persons with integrity so it is really very remote that someone here would do that."
The Committee on Good Government is set to release its recommendations on the Iloilo airport probe. The final draft has been passed around for signatures of the solons and scheduled to be read and presented in the plenary on May 15th.
The House probe came about after the passage of Resolution 748 entitled "A Resolution directing the House Committee on Good Government to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the alleged malversation of public funds in the construction of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol building."