MikeLigalig.com

by Bohol Chronicle

City taxpayer Zenaido “Djingo” Rama called the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) that Tagbilaran City Hall's P240-million loan application is tainted with illegality, expressing fears that the loan money would just be used to bankroll political campaigns in the May 2013 elections.

“Obviously, the loan of P240 Million, to be frank and honest about it, is intended to be used for election purposes. The people of Tagbilaran are not insane and foolish that they cannot understand the motive of the city administration,” said Rama in a letter sent to DBP Chairman Pepo Nunez and DBP President Gil Buenaventura.
 

The letter was also sent to the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as the former city councilor reminded the said government agencies of the wasted P50 million loan secured by the city government of Tagbilaran prior the 2010 local elections.

The top DBP officials were informed of the public clamor in the best interest of “protecting the people's money,” Rama told the Chronicle yesterday.

The letter was also sent to lawyer Marissa P. Anino, senior manager of the DBP-Tagbilaran Branch.
Rama said he took up the cudgels of writing to the DBP because “if no one else will do, then who else?”

“In behalf of the taxpayers of Tagbilaran, I am therefore appealing with the Development Bank of the Philippines to exercise extreme caution in handling the loan application of City Hall. The DBP should not make the unforgivable mistake of partaking in what is rather deemed as a suspicious plan of the city in getting a P240 Million,” he said in the letter, copy of which was furnished to President Noynoy Aquino, the Ombudsman-Manila, and the Sandiganbayan.

Rama said the ordinance passed by City Mayor Dan Lim's allies at the City Council authorizing the mayor to get a P240-million loan is laced with illegality since one kagawad is not supposed to partake in the Sangguniang Panlungsod session.

Split in the middle with a 6 all tie vote, The Sangguiniang Panglungsod  approved the administration's request for a P240M loan after Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer Nuevas T. Montes broke the tie in favor for the approval of the loan.

“The ordinance is tainted with illegality because Cogon Barangay Captain Philipp Besas who voted in favor of the ordinance is not legally recognized by the ABC, The Department of Interior and Local Government(DILG) and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan  of Bohol as an ex-officio member of the City's Sangguniang Panlungsod. Taloto Barangay Captain Faro Cabalit is the legal ABC President who should have been part in the voting of the ordinance,” Rama said.

The current legal impasse in the SP stemmed from a vote of no confidence filed by eleven of the fifteen City Punong Barangays against the sitting Tagbilaran ABC, Taloto Punong Barangay Faroh Cabalit.

But the ABC declared the no confidence vote without legal basis. However, a petition for a temporary restraining order was filed but was denied by the RTC Branch in Manila.

Still, the SP refused to honor the TRO denial even as a motion for reconsideration is now awaiting final disposition.

“The DBP must remember that before the 2010 election, the City Government had availed of P50 Million loan which was all used to purchase limestone (anapog). The anapog was allegedly used to repair the worsening roads of Tagbilaran.

Unfortunately, the P50 Million cost of anapog was rendered totally worthless as it never served its purpose. It was all washed out by rains, and the P50 Million taxpayer funds were all gone forever,” Rama stressed.

The former city councilor also told the DBP that it is too late for City Hall to fix the “ugly roads” in Tagbilaran considering that the present administration has two months to wrap up its reign.

“If the city administration was not able to address the despicable road for the last 9 years, how can the city government fix this road problem in the remaining two months of its power?” Rama asked.

Rama called on the DBP not to approve the loan but instead hear the voices of the people of Tagbilaran who are opposing the “anomalous and scandalous” move of City Hall.

“The voice of the people opposing the loan is too loud and clear to be ignored. If the DBP would not pay attention to public outcry, the bank would not certainly be spared from legal and administrative consequences,” Rama said.

A similar attempt by the present City Hall administration for the release of a P50M loan from the DPB weeks before the 2010 Elections  was thwarted alter more than a thousand signatories from city residents expressing their vehement opposition to the release was sent to the DPB. (CMV)

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