Ex-board member, legal officer clash during distribution of compensation claims
Yesterday's releasing of compensation claims for the oil spill victims in the province of Guimaras have several sidelights as an ex-board member of the province and its current legal officer had an altercation, while a moneyed check buyer was on standby to rediscount the checks of the claimants.
Former Guimaras Board member Gerry Yucon and Guimaras Provincial Legal Officer Plaridel Nava almost made a show yesterday at the ground floor of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol when they yelled at each other over the processing of the compensation claims of fisherfolks from the town of San Lorenzo.
Yucon made a strong comment against Nava for his presence in what supposed to be a show for his group along with Cong. Edgar Espinosa and Mayor Arsenio Zambarrano. Yet, Nava was present during the releasing of checks for the San Lorenzo claimants.
The altercation between Yucon and Nava started when Nava made a statement over a television news program months ago that he (Nava) and Gov. Rahman Nava are the only ones authorized by the IOPCF to process the claims of the Guimarasnons.
Yucon, Zambarrano and Espinosa belong to the group of former Guimaras Gov. Emily Lopez, all of Lakas party. While, Nava has political inclination to Gov. Nava. Atty. Nava was appointed recently by Gov. Nava to become the provincial legal officer.
Atty. Nava's presence in yesterday's activity was not in relation to his work as the provincial legal officer of Guimaras but he was hired by the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF) to notarize all the claims. Sources said Nava's contract for San Lorenzo alone cost more than P60,000.
In an interview, Yucon said Nava should have observed "delicadeza" because of his earlier pronouncement made against the group of Zambarrano.
Nava was not available for comment as he was busy notarizing the claims though, he already agreed for an interview.
Meanwhile, oil spill claimants have a mixed emotions yesterday after they were informed by their peers that a person at the capitol ground is ready to rediscount their checks for 3 percent. The person was reportedly carrying some P8 million to buy the checks of the claimants.
However, the claimants preferred to deposit or have their check processed at the Land Bank of the Philippines.