2 of 5 mayors willing to face investigation

TAGBILARAN CITY , Philippines   â€” Two of the five municipal mayors (three of them former mayors) have expressed willingness to face the forthcoming investigation on the Malamapaya Oil Fund.

Mayor Leoncio Evasco of Maribojoc, one of the five towns that allegedly received fund from Malampaya, and former Mayor Exuperio Lloren of Jagna town, both told The Freeman they will face the probe, if invited, and cooperate with the investigating agencies to clear their names.

This came on the heels of planned investigation into the Malamapaya funds that allegedly remained unaccounted for, as reported by the Commission on Audit.

"Sure I will. It's an opportunity to clear my name," said Lloren in a text message to The Freeman yesterday. His town of Jagna was reported by the COA as one of the beneficiaries of the Malampaya fund, but Lloren, in an earlier interview, denied receiving the reported P5 million money from the controversial source.

The COA report stated that the Bohol towns of Garcia-Hernandez, Pilar, Loboc, Jagna and Maribojoc were beneficiaries of P5 million each from Malampaya.

The funds were reportedly released on Jan. 26, 2010 through the following non-government organizations, Kaupdanan, for Garcia-Hernandez, Micro-Agri (for Pilar) and Ginto (for Loboc). Those released on May 18, 2010 were through Micro-Agri for Jagna and Bukirin Tanglaw for Maribojoc.

The COA report, however, did not mention where these NGOs were based and who were their officers.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court administrator Jose Midas Marquez urged the public to "give SC a chance to resolve the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF)," or the pork barrel.

Marquez, issued this statement in an exclusive interview last week when he graced the forum organized by Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) and was the guest of honor during the Philippine Judges Association of the Philippines conference held in Bohol.

Asked of his opinion on the public uproar against the pork barrel, Marquez did not give any comment, but he said that the pork barrel funds are the "lifeblood" of the lawmakers. 

Organizers of the multi-sectoral group here have been actively and continually making noise against the pork barrel, as well as demanding for its total abolition.  (FREEMAN)