Leonardia fights back: Puentevella’s claims are “twisted facts”

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — City’s lone district Rep. Evelio Leonardia said Mayor Monico Puentevella’s “twisted facts, manipulation, and gross deception” were aimed at discrediting his past administration but hurting the good image of the city that might discourage investors.

Leonardia, a former mayor, assailed Puentevella’s claims that the city’s coffers were left with no money. “This is a lie and sends the wrong signal to potential investors,” he told reporters in a press conference he held at his congressional office here last Saturday.

“Puentevella’s political motive is not doing a good service to the people, with some  news of it coming out in national papers. It’s not only the Leonardia name that is at stake here, but also the name of Bacolod because that kind of publicity projects a negative image for Bacolod,” Leonardia said.

“And it is very painful for me because, for nine long years, I tried my best to give the city a positive image, so that investments will come in; so that our city will grow, so that we can help our people, down to the grassroots,” he said.

During his watch, the city was conferred with various awards, affirming its healthy economy and good fiscal management, said Leonardia, adding that Puentevella and his minions “have been serving half-truths and twisted facts to Bacoleños” to tarnish the record of his admistration.

Leonardia decided to have the press-con, saying he wanted to correct the lies that the mayor had “peddled to the people of Bacolod.

Puentevella, in his own press-con last week, presented a graph alleging that he inherited over P1 billion in loans and P283 million in payables to the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) and the Bacolod City Water (BACIWA) District. He also broke down the loan obligations at P665.49-million principal and P342-million interests.

The congressman however countered that Puentevella “did not inherit” P1.2-billion in loans and payables from his administrations. He explained that part of these loans have been paid for, so that when he left office, the outstanding loan obligations were only P613-million: P465 million in principal and P147 million in estimated interest to be paid.

For the loans, Leonardia said Puentevella need worry only the payments due for 2014, 2015 and 2016 because those are the only years he will sit as mayor. “Puentevella should not assume he will be mayor forever,” he said.

“We already provided P112-million for loan payments for the current year. All the new mayor has to worry is P95-million for 2014; P90-million for 2015 and P80-million for 2016. If we were able to provide P112-million for these loans for the current year, I think he will find it easier to find these figures,” said Leonardia.

On the issue of CENECO and BACIWA, Leonardia said the Puentevella administration does not know, or maybe pretends not to know, that the two utility firms owe the city substantial amounts as well. “While the city owes BACIWA P77 million, BACIWA owes the city 168 million, so (by offsetting) this means that the city even stands to collect P94 million from BACIWA,” he said.

On the CENECO account, Leonardia said the city government owes the power firm P206 million, but the latter also owes the city at least P184 million as of 2008. “These accounts with CENECO and BACIWA and their accounts with the city are under negotiations although these firms have acknowledged they owe the city these figures,” he said.

Leonardia added that these two firms have pending cases against the city government regarding their accounts thus there is no rush in paying them because, in the end, “we might pay them more than what we should.” He said Puentevella “announces the city’s payables but conveniently forgets its receivables from these companies,”

The congressman further told the mayor “to study the facts first before whining. A little more study and he will be enlightened about the financial situation of the city; a little more study and he will realize I left him a city with enough resources to pursue its development goals.”

Leonardia further rebutted Puentevella’s figures for interest payments for the P33-million loan with the DBP, saying the amount was bloated. The mayor alleged that the interest for loan is P9.1-million over a six-year period, but the congressman said bank records showed it is P8.7 million only.

“With enough diligence and study, Puentevella will hopefully appreciate what I have done to make his life as mayor easier and not make all this baseless noise that is hurting Bacolod and the image we had built for it as one of the important cities of the country for investments, Leonardia added. (FREEMAN)