Vice Mayor to critics: Stop spreading false information
BACOLOD CITY -- Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson yesterday challenged all those behind the criticism that some councilors benefited from big transactions like the New Government Center, acquisition of new dumpsite and also the bidding of 50 million pesos worth of furnitures and fixtures for the New Government Center to stop spreading false information.
The vice mayor's reaction came in the wake of allegations that some councilors got money out of the said transactions. "I think it is unfair to say that some councilors are involved in this kind of activity," Sayson said.
He added that 'this entire project is aboveboard and such allegation is speculative as far as the members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod are concerned."
Sayson added that politics is behind such criticisms because the detractors of Mayor Evelio Leonardia do not want that the city can obtain huge projects.
He cited the Commission on Audit (COA) report last 2007 which validates that the costing of materials is not overpriced. It only shows that there are political groups that never recognized the effort of this administration but very active in filing cases to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Lately, there was an information spreading that some city councilors had asked favors from a bidder through cash advance but the Vice Mayor vehemently denied this claiming that it is political harassment.
On the other hand, Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairman of the committee on appropriation and finance, said that those who spread these rumors are ''insane and irresponsible". He reiterated that there are quarters who wanted to discredit this administration so that they could carry their agenda in the coming days.
Espino said that the construction of the New Government Center has an edge compared to Iloilo City because until now they have not started their New City Hall project. He further stressed that if most of them were afraid to face the administrative cases filed against them, until now the city would not still have the New Government Center.
"Iloilo City had a standby loan already but they cannot proceed because the price of materials increased compared to last year," Espino added.