JV: Pullout of donated vans part of probe

MANILA, Philippines - Senator-elect JV Ejercito clarified yesterday that the orange L-300 FB vans he distributed to 21 barangays in San Juan before the elections were temporarily recalled last week from each barangay as part of an investigation by the city government.

“All the orange vehicles that were recalled were already returned to the respective barangays. The barangay chairpersons were asked to explain after some of the orange vehicles were seen being used in other places” outside San Juan, Ejercito said in a telephone interview with The STAR.

Ejercito said the orange vehicles were donated to make the delivery of basic services to the residents of San Juan better and are not in any way connected to the local elections.

“My detractors have again magnified the matter,” he said.

A source earlier told The STAR that the chiefs of Barangays Tibagan, West Crame, Maytunas, Saint Joseph and Sta. Lucia in district two and Barangays San Perfecto, Salapan, Batis and Rivera in district one were shocked when they were informed that the vans distributed to them before the elections will be recalled.