Dumanjug to return quake aid to Davao

CEBU, Philippines - Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia and other officials will personally return the P500,000 check donated by the City Government of Davao for earthquake victims.

Garcia said that they were surprise about the cash donation where there are no victims of earthquake in their town.

Dumanjug is among the ten local government units in Cebu received the P500,000 each personally delivered by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte at the Capitol.

Vice Mayor Efren Guntrano Gica received the check for Dumanjug while others were the respective mayors.

“Maulaw ta nga modawat og something nga wala kinahanglana, that money would be better off for the real victims of the earthquake in Bohol,” Garcia told The FREEMAN.

Garcia said he was only informed of the said financial assistance by the municipal treasurer who was brought by Gica to the Capitol last week to receive the check.

Garcia said that had it known to him, he would personally have received it and to thank Duterte for his concern to other LGUs that was hit by the earthquake.

“Nahibong ko ngano man nihatag og tseke si Duterte nga wa man ko nangayo,” he said.

He learned that it was Gica who reportedly asked the financial assistance from the vice mayor of Davao City whom the latter claimed as his friend.

Garcia earlier said that he will apologize Duterte for not coming during the turn-over of the check and will thank him through a letter but he later changed his mind to return the check.

The money is supposed to be deposited in a trust fund of the municipal government.

Having the specific purpose for the earthquake victims, Garcia stressed that the money cannot even be incorporated in the town’s calamity fund and cannot be used for other purposes.

“Specific man sa victims sa earthquake nga niagi, whatever calamity in the future we cannot use the fund, with our apologies ngano nangayo ang vice mayor ani wala nagkinahanglan ang lungsod ana kwartaha,” Garcia added. — (FREEMAN)