BARILI STAMPEDE: Don't blame us - CFI

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu CFI Community Cooperative clarified that they should not be blamed for the stampede that marred the distribution of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Barili last Friday.

They also denied allegations that they were used for political purposes, as they were tapped and invited by the Land Bank of the Philippines because of their assets, personnel and efficient distribution.

The political differences between Mayor Teresito Mariñas and Vice Mayor Marlon Garcia were also blamed for the incident.

Mariñas questioned why the distribution was held at Barangay Guibuwangan, giving confusion to the beneficiaries and suspected that somebody gave the orders to CFI, which is chaired by Marlon’s mother, Judge Esperanza Fiel Garcia.

“We did not volunteer to join the bidding but it was through the initiative of Land Bank because of the assets that we have. We also have the personnel who can do the distribution to 3,000 beneficiaries in just four hours. Our distribution is efficient,” said Esperanza in a press conference yesterday.

CFI General Manager Ofelia Morales said they were still on their way to Poblacion from Guibuwangan, the first venue of the distribution, when the stampede happened.

Former Vito barangay captain Vicente Villarin said that at the municipal gym, panic ensued when an unidentified person shouted that there was a bomb, which triggered the stampede.

“We were not yet there when the incident happened since we were still traveling going to Poblacion. So, when we learned about what happened, we were also nervous because we were bringing huge amount of cash,” she said.

She narrated that they started the distribution at around 7 a.m. in Guibuwangan but beneficiaries were no longer allowed to go to the place, were not given vouchers and were advised to proceed to the Poblacion, as allegedly ordered by the mayor.

Morales said the original agreed venue was Guibuwangan but the night before the distribution, the beneficiaries were told that the venue was changed to Poblacion.

This caused confusion among beneficiaries.

Atty. Lito Astillero, one of the members of the CFI board, said that it was only in Barili that a stampede happened.

In other towns, pay-outs all went on smoothly.

It was the sixth time of the distribution, usually held at the gym by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWS) 7 as the implementing agency.

This time, the DSWD commissioned the CFI Community Cooperative in the distribution with the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Out of 37 towns they now have two more towns left for the distribution.

As of yesterday, they already distributed over 30 million to over 35,000 beneficiaries which is yet to be refunded by the Land Bank of the Philippines.     - THE FREEMAN