Sec. Gonzalez will no longer head Panay rehab commission
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. will no longer head a task force that will manage the P8-billion rehabilitation fund for areas ravaged by typhoon "Frank" after his proposed designation was met by protest.
House Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Arthur Defensor Sr. said the House committee on appropriation agreed to amend the bill creating the commission and overhauled the composition of the body.
Defensor said that the commission and its composition will be patterned after the Bicol Calamity Assistant Rehabilitation Effort Commission (B-Care). B-Care was created last year to oversee the rehabilitation of areas damaged by typhoon Reming.
The bill had earlier provided for the release of a supplemental budget of P15 billion for affected areas in Western Visayas but the fund was slashed to P8 billion. It also provided for the creation of a commission that will oversee rehabilitation programs of various agencies.
The composition was supposed to be similar to the Task Force Bangon Panay which is currently overseeing the programs.
Gonzalez was appointed as chair of the task force under Executive Order 230 of President Macapagal-Arroyo. The other members include regional directors of various agencies and officials of local government units affected by the disaster.
But because of the overhaul, the commission will be headed by the chair of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), who is currently Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.
The other members of commission are the secretaries of the Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education, Department of Public Works and Highways, administrator of the National Electrification Administration and general manager of the National Housing Authority.
The other members include the Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas (Raul Banias) and the chair of the Regional Development Council (Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez). Gonzalez will still be a member as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD) of Western Visayas.
Defensor said one of the reasons why they agreed to overhaul the membership of the commission is the protest raised by Iloilo Rep. Niel "Jun-Jun" Tupas Jr. against Gonzalez's appointment.
"We want to to isolate the commission from the political disagreement of Congressman Tupas and Secretary Gonzalez," Defensor said in a telephone interview.
He said they do not want the commission to be "suspected of being tainted by politics."
Tupas had questioned the designation of Gonzalez as chair of the commission saying it was unconstitutional for the Justice Secretary to hold the position.
"Jurisprudence shows that the DOJ Secretary can only hold another post as an ex-officio member and if the body or office is related to his main function. But clearly, disaster management and rehabilitation is not related to his post," Tupas said in a separate interview yesterday.
Reached for comment over the phone, Gonzalez said he agrees with the recomposition of the commission if it is meant to hasten and enhance rehabilitation efforts.
"This deals with disaster so the NDCC is the proper agency. And I don't have enough time (for that)," said Gonzalez. He said he will continue to be chair of Task Force Bangon Panay.
But he reacted to the statement that the protest of Tupas was among the reasons for the overhaul.
"It seems that Defensor is already taking the side of Tupas," he said.
Gonzalez said he "doesn't care" who will chair the commission and even pointed out that he is being short-change because funds of his department are being used by the Task Force Bangon Panay because the supplemental fund has still not been approved.
Tupas along with his father Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas has been estranged from the administration after the elder Tupas joined former Senate President Franklin Drilon in breaking ties with President Macapagal-Arroyo in 2005.
The Tupas family has accused Gonzalez of being behind the forcible police occupation of the Iloilo provincial capitol last year in a bid to serve a suspension order on the governor.
Gonzalez has repeatedly denied the accusation.
Defensor said the bill has been approved by House committee on appropriation and will be presented for the plenary next week.