City vehicles used free for UNA rally crowd?

CEBU, Philippines - Did the opposition party use government vehicles in transporting supporters to and from United Nationalist Alliance proclamation rally site for a fee or for free?

City Hall officials could not yet confirm reports that a certain amount was paid by the organizers for the use of city-owned buses.

“I cannot verify that since transactions like that are categorized as miscellaneous fees and our collectors are not around right now to confirm it to me,” Cebu City Treasurer Emma Villarete said in a phone interview.

It is the office of the vehicle dispatching that computes and charges needed fees and the payment goes directly to the cashier, Villarete added.

Normally, those who want to use the vehicles for public occasions like funerals, beach outings and the like shoulder the fuel and the driver’s fee, she continued.

Section 31 of Republic Act Number 9006 or the “Fair Election Act” states “it is unlawful for any candidate, party or any person to give or accept, free of charge, directly or indirectly, transportation, food and drinks, or anything of value during and within the five hours before and after a public meeting, or to give or contribute, directly or indirectly, money or things of value such purpose.”

Providing free transportation during a partisan political activity is strictly prohibited under the same ordinance.

When The FREEMAN called the vehicle dispatching office under the General Services Office a few hours before the scheduled activity, Engr. Alberto Bontuyan said 19 Kaoshiung and Yokohama buses were used at the UNA proclamation rally in Plaza Independencia.

“We have a total of 24 vehicles but only 19 are operational. The buses used at the rally are stationed at the same site as the devotee city during Sinulog festival,” Bontoyan said referring to the city-owned lot near the venue.

Meanwhile, Mayor Michael Rama said his political opponent Cebu City south district Rep. Tomas Osmeña appears to be “panicking” in choosing to run after him for allowing the use of city-owned buses for the UNA proclamation rally.

“Klaro kaayo nga naratol na. Maayo pa’g moitsa na lang siya sa iyang puti nga tualya og mo-surrender,” Rama told the reporters in City Hall yesterday after he was asked to comment on Osmeña’s call to the Commission on Elections to run after him for using government vehicle for a partisan political activity.

Osmeña said Comelec found out that Team Rama used government buses to ferry their supporters from different barangays to the UNA rally.

As of noon yesterday, 10 city-owned Kaohsiung and Yokohama buses were already standby near the old Compaña Maritima building.

Rama had said that he will not stop it if the city-owned vehicles and those issued to the barangays will be used for those who will attend the UNA proclamation rally because the city-owned buses are not only for funerals, weddings and going to beaches.

Use of buses to be investigated

UNA will be the first once to taste the stern warning of the Comelec that they will be checking reports on possible violations of the campaign regulations.

As the national campaign period officially started yesterday, the UNA party chose to kick off their campaign in vote-rich Cebu with all their senatorial slate and all three heads, Vice President Jejomar Binay, former President Jejomar Binay and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

But the said successful event has been hit by critics.

Apart from the crowd transport issue, social networking sites also showed pictures of the government-owned buses allegedly being used to transport the materials to make the UNA stage at Plaza Independencia.

Newly seated Comelec Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Eddie Aba said that they did receive reports on the alleged use of government vehicles for the UNA rally.

Aba said that this could still depend on other circumstances which could be defined after they investigate the matter.

Also, Aba asked those who would want to file a formal complaint to do so in their office and show supporting evidence.

UNA spokesman Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco said that they are not aware as to how preparations were done by their counterparts in Cebu but said that they definitely stress among their party to abide by Comelec regulations. (FREEMAN)