Drilon endorses Treñas
Liberal Party (LP) senatorial candidate Franklin Drilon, who hails from Molo, Iloilo City, is endorsing the candidacy of Mayor Jerry Treñas of Nacionalista Party (NP) for congressman of the city. The endorsement is quite unique as the two political parties, LP and NP, are at odds in the national level most especially with respect to their presidential candidates.
Tupas and the Ombudsman
Gov. Niel Tupas said that he does not trust the Office of the Ombudsman because it is being used by the administration to persecute its enemies. The governor’s statement was in reaction to the Ombudsman ruling dismissing him from the service for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Ironically, it was learned that the governor and his allies have also filed several cases at the Ombudsman against their enemies. “Kun wala sila salig sa Ombudsman nga-a dira man sila naga-file kaso?” asked an observer at the Capitol canteen.
Icupao ordinance
Urban poor advocate John Nofuente has just obtained a copy of the ordinance creating the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao). Section 3 of the ordinance states, in part, “The chairman and the members shall be designated from among the existing employees of Iloilo City Government with appropriate background and knowledge on the Urban Poor Affairs of Iloilo City and upon the favorable recommendation of the committee for the Urban Poor and Human Rights.” Mayor Jerry Treñas, then a city councilor, was among the councilors who passed the Icupao ordinance on December 6, 1995. Because of that Nofuente wondered why former Icupao chief Roy Firmeza, who was not an existing employee of the city government, was appointed as its chairman. When Firmeza resigned following his candidacy for city councilor, Treñas appointed a certain Jurilla who is not also an existing city government employee. Nofuente said being one of those who passed the ordinance Mayor Treñas should have known better.
