MikeLigalig.com

By Ric Obedencio
PCL becomes collateral damage
over year-end assessment fiasco

The Philippine Councilors League Bohol chapter has become a “collateral damage” in the intramural bickering among the Jagna town officials, its president Jescelo Adiong, now sitting as ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, told a media interview at his office on Friday.

The PCL thru Adiong said that returning to each member the P3,000 cannot be considered as corruption. It’s not  rebates, either since it’s illegal to have kind of return of fund to individual member of the league, he added.

Adiong has reacted to what he called unfair accusation that most of its 482 strong municipal councilor-members are accused of corruption as published in other weekly (not the BNT).

This came after Jagna town councilor Anthony ANiscal’s expose of what he considers an anomaly in returning the P3,000 after charging each individual who paid P6,500 each for their annual year-end assessment and Christmas party on Dec. 10-11, 2019 held at Bohol Tropics Resort.

Adiong said in vernacular that “maybe there’s a friction in Jagna that drag the name of the PCL.”

And Adiong may be right in saying it.

In a videotaped of Jagna SB session, Aniscal said “Kini nga session dihas lunes sa SB Jagna maoy bottom line sa tanan. Gi ayo2 nila ug saway si mayor gumikan ky ni comment ang executive nga excesive ang registration at P6.5K.. matud ni maricris nga "wala daw kahibawo ang executive sa ilang trabaho, ga uwaw uwaw kono ang lgu jagna ni question sa registration".. gipakaulawan nilas mayor sa session nga live sa facebook, radio ug covered by san miguel cable. Pagkahibawo ni mayor nga dunay rebates P3K, gaalburutu sa kasuko.”

Adiong commented that a small group (referring to Jagna SB) has tugged a bigger one (PCL), which is not the case in terms of collateral damage.

He said that no councilor is happy about what Aniscal has done. It seemed that it was a “trial by publicity.”

After he received the P3,000, Aniscal has reacted immediately and made it appear that PCL members are into corruption, he said.

When asked if Aniscal approached him after he received his (P3,000), Adiong answered in the negative.

“I have no bad blood” on him and I’m hurt nga butangbutangan ‘ta nga di tinuod,” Adiong lamented.

He said he did not know well ANiscal or “he did not know me also.”

Why the P3,000 returned?
Adiong explained that the P3,000 was returned to each member since the two-day year-end assessment was cut short due to non-appearance of their resource persons.

And he informed the Department of Interior and Local Government about this, he said.

And even if it was already booked for the 2-day event, the owner of Tropics did not ask for payment for the second day. She was “very considerate” and, in fact, it could be a loss to the resort, Adiong said.

As this developed, he urged the members to return or make liquidation of the P3,000 they received to the municipal coffers. But if they don’t it’s their responsibility already since at the end of their term, their leave credits may be deducted.

There are a lot of town councilors who remain honest, reliable and true to their commitment to serve their respective constituency, the PCL head said.

He also said that the full amount of P6,500 was officially receipted.

Audit
Adiong said that he’s contemplating to request the Commission on Audit to conduct a post audit over the expenses of the event since there was no pre-audit when each member made the cash advances.

For this Christmas and the days ahead, Adiong called on PCL members for unity and cooperation for without it there would be no success and progress.

The “rebates”
“They collect 6,500 per councilor. The 3,500 goes to the PCL and the 3,000 will be given back to the councilor through reimbursement,” Aniscal said.

He added, “The councilors made their attendance official so that they can charge their expenses from their respective municipalities. Normally this is legal. What is not legal and more so highly immoral is charging it twice the real amount.”

Aniscal also bared that there was no such assessment of the PCL event. “Walay assessment ui. Corruption nahitabo,” he said.

He said in his message that this is the first time that there’s “PCL rebates,” meaning every councilor gets P3,000 from the cash advance of P6,500.00 paid to defray the party expenses.

As this developed, many councilors are reportedly angry with Aniscal who exposed the alleged irregularity of the PCL event.

“Daghan nanawag nako nagsulti nga nangasuko daw mga officers sa pcl ngari nako. I dont care. They have to learn the lesson the hard way,” he said. Aniscal added, “I will stand.. no matter what will happen.”

“Nag 2nd term nalang ko as councilor wala ko mag engage ug corruption. Malooy tas katawhan.” (I’m on my second term as a councilor and I did not engage in corruption. Let’s have mercy on our people)

Aniscal also called on his colleagues, “Atong awhagon ang ubang mga konsehal sa kalungsuran nga euli nas panudlanan sa lungsod injong nadawat nga tag P3K.. Asa man ta padulong ani kung kita mismo dili mohimog action nga maondang ning mga ing ini..”

Meanwhile, ANiscal also bared that Jagna Mayor is considering filing a case against PCL official.

“Jagna Mayor Joseph Rañola is determined to file charges on the PCL anomalies,” he said.

“Sa akong nasabtan, e concentrate nia ang charges against the secretary general and Jagna councilor Maricris Jamora.” (What I have understood the mayor will concentrate to file charges against the secretary-general Jagna councilor Maricris Jamora.)  (rvo)

* Today's Helpful Tip *
Tala app is a fast and easy way to borrow money, and it's used and trusted by many. Download Tala to join millions of Filipino users today! >>> http://inv.re/9o3vp



Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=91875.0