Leonardia: Inquiry over P250M loan a ‘sarzuela’
BACOLOD CITY — Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said that the public hearing conducted by Lone District Representative Monico O. Puentevella last Friday over the P250 million loan by the city government with the Philippine Veterans Bank was just mere propaganda because not even one member of the House Committee on Local Government attended the said inquiry.
Leonardia said that based on the official records that he secured from the roster of committee membership, Puentevella was not listed as the official member, therefore the public hearing was just a “sarzuela” kind of undertaking.
He stressed that even if Puentevella is a member, this is not still valid because there is no consented authority from the majority.
Leonardia believed that if the public hearing is legitimate, there must be a stenographer that recorded all the minutes taken.
“Where we can find a public hearing that the one who opposed will stand as an investigator, prosecutor and even a judge over this issue,” Leonardia said.
Last Friday, Puentevella initiated a congressional inquiry over the P250 million loan with the Philippine Veterans Bank. Said inquiry was attended by lawyers Rolando Villamor and Leon Moya. Villamor denounced the loan contract entered by the city government and Philippine Veterans Bank and therefore asked the court for the issuance of the Temporary Restraining Order.
Villamor believed that part of the loan will be utilized as campaign funds for May 10, 2010 election.
Atty. Moya also filed a case before the Provincial Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board claiming that the property acquired for the relocation site project is under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. Fr. Ernie Larida of the Diocese of Bacolod also questioned the transparency of purchasing the “Arao Property” as the viable site for relocation program.
