Gardose: I'm only doing my job as mayor
TAPAZ, Capiz – Tapaz Mayor Rosemarie Gardose clarified that what she has done in assisting and ordering the police to confiscate the wooden boats (banca) last Sunday was part of her job as mayor.
Gardose denied harassing businessman Roberto Palomar saying that she was only doing her job to protect the environment and her constituents.
She said that she only assisted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provincial office which ordered the confiscation of the bancas allegedly made from illegally cut tress.
She also said that Palomar failed to secure a permit from the municipal government.
Palomar said Gardose's attempt to stop his boat race was politically motivated.
“We are promoting tourism not terrorism in Tapaz,” Palomar said, adding “This town should even be proud to have such tourist attraction.”
Palomar lamented that as promoter of tourism in Tapaz he was harassed by the mayor and the police who entered his private property without court order.
“If they did it to me who knows how to fight back how much more to the ordinary citizens,” Palomar added.
The Marugo Mountain Resort, owned by Palomar, is still being developed with a 30-hectare man-made lake, a private pool, floating cottages, and other amenities.
Palomar said Gardose is trying to harass him because he has already declared to run for mayor of Tapaz in 2010.
Palomar further stressed that the boat racing competition was not a fund-raising activity but a sports competition promoting tourism which need not have a mayor’s permit.
Earlier, Palomar wrote DENR Secretary Lito Atienza asking permission for the transfer of the participating boats from the barangays to the venue of competition.
He said clearance is needed to avoid confiscation by the local police which might suspect that the boats are made of illegally cut trees.
Atienza, however, referred Palomar’s letter to DENR-6 for proper action.
Last Sunday, March 14, some 13 barangays participated in the boat racing competition.
The said competition was sponsored by Palomar, Capiz Govenor Victor Tanco, Sr. and Former PNP Chief Roberto “Bobby” Lastimoso.