Mactan Chamber speaks up

After last week's column, the emails just don't stop about the "computer scam" Mayor Radaza is currently facing. Not that the emails are mostly against the mayor, surprisingly no email from him or his representatives have been received by this writer to clarify the whole issue.

I'd like to take post the email (received on Sept. 30) of Mactan Island Chamber of Commerce and Industry Phils., Inc, president, Efrain Pelaez, Jr. in reaction to the previous column. Here it is: 

"Thank you for your column on the behavior of Lapu-Lapu city officials. All this harassment and diversionary tactics will only strengthen our resolve to get to the bottom of all these scams.  

"A few days ago the Cebu Business Club, Dilaab/Barug Filipino and other business, religious and civic groups held a press conference at the grand majestic restaurant in Cebu city to sign a manifesto of support for the Mactan Island Chamber and the undersigned for filing the computer scam case.

Yesterday, the rest of Cebu's business community joined us and published a full page ad in Sunstar signed by the Cebu, Mandaue and Consolacion chambers of commerce, Cebu Bankers Club,  Cebu GTH Manufacturers and Exporters Assn., Cebu Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters Assn., and the Cebu branch of the  Financial Executives Institute, United Architects of the Philippines, Philippine Retailers Association, and the Spa and Wellness Assn.

Everyone has given us their support and simply wants transparency, accountability and good governance. Radaza should know that this is now a province-wide concern, and not a personal one.

"To date, despite Radaza's presscons, he has not answered any of the allegations in the computer scam and other scams like the lamppost issue.  He has only used his minions to heap garbage on me. You are right, he has not answered the charges squarely at all---in fact he does not even show up in his own press conferences. The other day, his wife, his barangay captains and urban poor representatives held another such self-serving presscon, but still no answers to the charges of irregularities.

Everybody knows he controls these barangay officials who are his agents for disbursing questionable job orders. In fact, he even took them all on a trip to Hong Kong. And since his wife is now doing the talking, maybe you should also ask Paz Radaza what happened to the P26 million Girl Scout fund scam wherein she was implicated. Attached is an article about the scam which we are now checking as to the status. The Radaza's have successfully kept over 30 cases filed."

Best regards, Efrain Pelaez, Jr., President, MICCI.

* * *

I don't wish a glib tongue for Radaza to answer all the allegations. The people of Lapu-Lapu, the business community and the rest of the province only expect him to make a sense of what's happening because they are not only upset, they are also troubled by the spate of scams he and his wife is entangled with. By this time, I can only surmise that the public would rather know not how much the Radaza's or his boys have made but as to how much is left of Lapu-Lapu's money.

But then again, the mayor chooses to ignore any discussion of it if only to cool down the issue. And by keeping mum, he hopes the public will eventually forget about their perfidies as if they never took place. 

But not so fast mayor. The entire business community, the religious and civic groups are all eyes on you. In fact everybody's eyes are.

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