Daanbantayan council agrees to seeking help on WB loan issue

CEBU, Philippines - Majority of Daanbantayan’s town council members welcomed the move of Mayor Augusto Corro to seek intervention of the Capitol and the Office of the Ombudsman on their intent to avail of a World Bank loan.

Councilor Rex Novabos said Corro’s move would stop further discussion on the matter after they turned down the Municipal Development Council resolution requesting the council to take advantage of a Land Bank of the Philippines loan to finance the 10-percent local counterpart required by WB-Support for Strategic Local Development and Investment Projects Program.

“This is the best way to dispose of the matter,” Novabos said.

But Novabos warned that the issue in Daanbantayan is different from that of Talisay City which Corro cited.

Corro was inspired by the move of Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes, his ally in the Liberal Party, who asked the help of Capitol regarding the 2015 budget that was slashed by half of the amount by the majority of the city council.

The Municipal Development Council has endorsed P885 million worth of projects to WB which include construction of drainage system, purchase of heavy equipment, relocation of municipal hall, relocation of wet market, solid waste management building and equipment, rehabilitation of bus terminal, storage facilities, water treatment facilities, rehabilitation of old public market and the modernization of rural health unit.

Novabos said they have no basis to approve the MDC request and that the identified projects lack detailed plans.

Meanwhile, some councilors felt insulted by the interference made by a resident on the WB grant issue.

They questioned the purpose of lawyer Estrella Martinez, a certified public accountant and a retired director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, who allegedly interfered in their actions. They are now moving to declare her as persona non grata.

Councilor Juanito Ybañez said that while Martinez has expressed anger to them, their decision is final.

“What a political joke that is? If all cases in the Philippines are lodged in the SB of the municipality, then all courts including the Supreme Court will close shop for that matter,” Martinez said.

Councilor Samuel Moralde also expressed disappointment when his loan with the municipal government in the previous administration was mentioned in the letter of Martinez.

Insulted by naming them as “tapulan” or lazy, Moralde said he could move to declare Martinez as persona non grata in Daanbantayan.

But Martinez expressed disappointment over the matter.

“I was flabbergasted with such an attempt to extinguish me from my birthplace. The mainspring of justice is always gross ignorance of the law,” Martinez said.  — Gregg M. Rubio/ATO (FREEMAN)