Mayors accuse Tupas of selective distribution of relief goods
What is important is that the relief goods reach the people—Tupas
Politics has reared its very ugly head after thousands were left homeless, hungry and desperate in the aftermath of the onslaught of typhoon "Frank" in Iloilo and Western Visayas.
Several Iloilo mayors and Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico have complained against the selective distribution of relief goods intended for typhoon victims.
Suplico, the governor's nephew, is estranged with his uncle. The mayors all belong to the Lakas-NUCD and had supported then Vice Gov. Roberto Armada who was defeated by Tupas in the gubernatorial race in last year's elections.
Iloilo was declared a calamity area after the heavy rains and flooding killed 156 persons and injured 245 others. At least 133,045 families or 655,471 persons were affected. In separate telephone interviews, they accused Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. of channeling the relief goods to the victims through his political allies and even through private individuals instead of the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Councils (MDCCs), which are chaired by the mayors.
Mayor Elizabeth Salcedo of Concepcion town said she received relief goods from the provincial government only last June 27 or six days after the typhoon struck. The goods consisted of 50 sacks of rice, 30 boxes of sardines, 15 boxes of noodles, used clothing and pillows.
But Salcedo said relief goods including 170 sacks of rice brought by dump trucks of the provincial government were handed out to residents through Millard Villanueva, an ally of the governor, whom she defeated in the mayoral contest in the last election. Salcedo said the town's social welfare officer was even invited to witness the distribution of goods and was also asked to sign receipt of the goods.
"If I did not protest out loud about this, the governor would not have given us the 50 sacks of rice," said Salcedo.
She said the handing out of relief goods through Villanueva "was clearly politicking and intended to boost his political stock while bypassing the lawful processes in the distribution of relief materials."
Mayor Robert Martin Pama of Dueñas town also voiced out the same complaint. He said relief goods were sent to and distributed by Vice Mayor Merloi Piccio-Hautea last Thursday instead of the MDCC.
"This is a calamity. We should set politics aside," said Pama. This is the same case in Dingle town, according to Mayor Rufino Palabrica III. He said relief goods from the provincial government were distributed last Friday through Vice Mayor Reblun Lacson.
But Tupas denied that he there was selectiveness in the distribution of relief materials. He said the goods distributed in Concepcion did not came from the provincial government but from efforts of his son and Iloilo Rep. Niel "Jun-Jun" Tupas Jr. He said the mayors that have complained "want everything to be coursed through them." "The time element is very important here. What is important is that the food and other relief goods reach the people," Tupas said in a telephone interview.
He pointed out that many national officials have been giving out relief goods and they did not have to go through him.
"There is no discrimination whether they are in my camp or not. I had set this aside right after the elections," he said.
But Suplico urged Tupas to maintain "an open, public and transparent conduct of relief operations" and to coordinate closely with mayors.
"The participation of private persons in relief operations by the Iloilo provincial government should be encourage but only in strict coordination with the MDCCs," said Suplico in a text message.
"I condemn the use of the typhoon "Frank" and the relief goods to strengthen the political base of the Tupas family at the expense of the typhoon victims. Relief goods should be distributed according to the law and on the basis of whether or not the recipients are calamity victims, and the certainly not on the basis of politics," said the vice governor. Suplico also criticized Tupas for giving one sack of rice (around P1,000 each) to around 2,700 or amounting to P2.7 million to employees of the provincial capitol including job hires, contractual and employees.
"While we welcome the distribution of rice and other relief goods to everyone who are victims of the typhoon, including capitol employees, it should be on the basis of whether they are victims or not and not on political affiliation or loyalty," said Suplico in an earlier interview.
Tupas has defended the assistance to the capitol employees saying everyone was affected including those that reside in Iloilo City which has also been declared a calamity area.