Will PNoy grace Bohol brgy confab?

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  — There were reports that President Benigno S. Aquino III is slated to visit Bohol and expected to grace the provincial assembly of barangay officials and to swear in Liberal Party members in the province, led by Gov. Edgar Chatto.

Representative Rene Relampagos (1st district, Bohol) has reportedly assured the LP hierarchy in Bohol that the president will be coming to install LP members apparently in preparation for the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) on October 1-5.

Also expected to join PNoy are Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and TESDA director Joel Villanueva, among other top national officials of the LP.

Liga ng mga Barangay provincial president Crispina Vergara, however appeared not certain of the president’s visit even as she invited her colleagues to be present in the scheduled Barangay Family Day of Bohol.

A barangay official also asked that if ever the oath-taking of the LP stalwarts here would take place before the Barangay Assembly, would it not be considered partisan before a supposedly non-partisan gathering?

Meanwhile, the provincial Liga has been under fire earlier for failure to hold the assembly without apparent reason given to barangay officials who already contributed P7,700 for every 11 barangay officials including the secretary and treasurer, a source said.

He quoted Vergara as saying that there were already more than 6,000 out of more than 7,000 officials representing 1,109 barangays in the province who already registered and expected to attend.

The source said that maybe the assembly is necessary to shed light over the unanswered queries on why some delegates were housed in “cheaper” hotels while most enjoyed the amenities of posh resorts and hotels in the city during last year’s similar event.  (FREEMAN)