Baronda denies initiating SP probe against IDFI
City Councilor Julienne Baronda yesterday belied allegations that she initiated the conduct of investigation on the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) regarding the alleged anomalous sale of tickets in the recent Dinagyang Festival.
Baronda said she only gave her views regarding the problems haunting the sale and distribution of tickets when she brought the matter before the Sangguniang Panglungsod recently.
Baronda said, she did not intend to investigate the foundation.
Baronda added that she would not attend the February 19 hearing to end the investigation. She was informed that the committee of the whole headed by Councilor Eldrid Antiquiera will end the investigation if she will not appear during the hearing.
She added that she never expected that the investigation would include the financial aspect of the festival. "My dad (City Health Office chief Urminico Baronda) scolded me because it reached this far. He, being a member of the committee, knows how the funds were disbursed," Baronda said.
Baronda also said she even plans to commend the IDFI for a successful Dinagyang celebration.
With her denial as initiator of the investigation, Baronda is ready to accept the reactions of her fellow councilors for clarifying the issue though it took her some time. Baronda said she was to busy campaigning for the National Movement for Young Legislators (NMYL) election.
To defend herself, Baronda even presented a copy of the transcript of last January 23, 2008 session. In the transcript, it was the Majority Floor Leader Eduardo Peñaredondo who first discussed the issue on ticket sale and distribution.
In the transcript, Peñaredondo said: "Mr. Chairman, before we go further I would like to inform the body that there are so may complaints about the Freedom Grandstand. You cannot buy ticket anymore as early as last week because somebody bought the ticket at about 700 pieces. Gintugutan nila bakal, so other will be sludge (d) because according to them they have many visitors. Pito ka gatos binakal nila. (Migo mo nagbakal, si Ramon)."
Baronda took the turn to speak after Peñaredondo. She said: " Mr. Chairman, I have been experiencing it over and over again since 2004 because I used to invite some friends from Manila and I'm always buying like 30 tickets every Dinagyang. But only to find out today kumbaga one month na ako nagsige pa reserve, sa kaluoy sang Diyos apat lang gid lang nabakal ko nga tickets sa Freedom Grandstand under my name. I have to use the name of my friends. I have to use the name of my father just to buy tickets for our friends. Pero ambot, wala na kuno ticket, sold out na kuno. That is impossible. I think Mr. Chairman, next time..."
In totality, Baronda bought 22 tickets last Dinagyang festival, 14 tickets at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand and eight in Ma. Clara judging area.
The same transcript indicated that it was Councilor Antonio Pesina who moved for the approval of a resolution urging the committee on good government to conduct an investigation on the anomalous selling of Dinagyang tickets. It was seconded by Councilors Lyndon Acap and Jose Espinosa III.
While, Councilor Eldrid Antiquiera made an amendment in the resolution to include the construction of judging areas in the investigation to be conducted by the committee of the whole instead of committee on good government. Antiquiera leads the current probe.
Antiquiera's amendment of the resolution is a response to the complaint of barangay captains headed by Councilor Irene Ong over the different radio stations regarding the judging areas.