RICO SUPPORTS HERRERA
The Bohol Chronicle
issued: April 11, 2010
Gov. Erico Aumentado officially withdrew his endorsement of Congressman Edgar Chatto which he made in his capacity as Regional Chairman of Lakas -Kampi-CMD , and now backs Vice-Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera to the gubernatorial arena and his running mate- former provincial administrator Tomas Abapo Jr.
Aumentado announced this during the launching of Grand Alliance for Bohol's Sustainable Development at JJ's Seafood Village as a way highlighting the observance of Araw nga Kagitingan on April 9 where he solely expressed his disappointment over Chatto's alliance with his rival for the Congressional seat in the second district (Mayor Judith Cajes) who is not the official candidate of Lakas- Kampi-CMD.
The Grand Alliance for Bohol's Sustainable Development forged the provincial-level rainbow coalition of five political parties-Lakas-Kampi-CMD original (Aumentado wing), Nacionalista Party, Nationalist Peoples Coalition, PMP-LDP coalition, and Liberal Party (represented by lawyer Raul Barbarona, who is running for a first district slot in the Provincial Board)- which has Aumentado, Herrera and Abapo as the common denominators, although the grand alliance was reportedly packaged by Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim, a staunch critic of Chatto.
Under the grand alliance, other common candidates include Oscar Glovasa for congressman of the first district and Arthur Yap for the third district; Provincial Board Member Josephine Socorro Jumamoy, Liga ng mga barangay executive vice-president Dr. Romulo Cepedoza , and Dr. Mutya Kismet Tirol- Macuno for the Provincial Board Members representing the second district. NP candidates are also included in the alliance's endorsement like Engr. Gerry Garcia.
The leaders of the five parties in the rainbow coalition maintain their liberty in supporting their respective officials presidential bets and other provincial candidates along with their municipal slates who are not supporting Chatto. This is to ensure that Bohol will have a link to Malacanang whoever wins as President.
Aumentado expressed disappointment that Chatto "had joined forces with Cajes in the campaign trail since the revocation and subsequent reinstatement of my CONA".
The governor opted to endorse the Hereras gubernatorial bid and that of former provincial administrator Tomas Abapo Jr. for vice governor, "because they have proved to be sincere friends and allies".
"They know how to acknowledge debts of gratitude and have always honored their word to me and our constituents. We also have a common goal- the sustainable development of Bohol," the governor pointed out.
Aumentado cited all these in his open letter dated April 7, 2010 which copy was furnished to the national hierarchy of Lakas-KAMPI-CMD.
"In all humility, I wish to inform you that as Regional Chairman of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, I had nominated Cong. Edgar Chatto as official party candidate for governor. With deep regret, however, I am withdrawing my support for him. Instead I am endorsing Vice governor Julius Caesar Herrera for governor under a grand Alliance for bohol's Sustainable Development," Aumentado declared.
The governor pointed out reasons anchored on hiss loss trust and confidence by citing Chatto as "a traitorous friend and ally, a smiling saboteur- if doing so would do him a favor", and criticized the congressman for implementing "substandard and questionable projects".
Despite having withdrawn his support for Chatto, Aumentado declared that he continues to support the administration party's presidential bet, Gilbert Teodoro, and the Lakas senatorial slate.
Aumentado has also declared continued support for the official candidates of Lakas-Kampi-CMD for provincial Board Members "after all, they are also official party candidates, who have not and will not campaign for Chatto."
"My support also goes to Lakas-Kampi-CMD officials candidates province wide, except those running for mayor of Trinidad, San Miguel and other towns who have expressed support for my opponent as congresswoman of the second district," the governor further declared.
the grand alliance is pushing former administrative officer of the Capitol, Nunila Pinat, for mayor of San Miguel and returning mayor Jun Flor's candidacy for Trinidad.
The rainbow coalition aims to sustain Bohol's big leap towards improvement, progress and development which seeds were planted and sown when he first became representative of the second district and later when he became governor.
In the 2004 election, after Chatto jumped from LDP to join the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP under Aumentado leadership, the congressman allegedly "hoodwinked" the governor in Balilihan town and in the first district.
"I lost Balilihan- even in his own precinct, and in the other first district towns considered his bailiwick and under his full control, by almost 19,000 votes. But providence made me win in the third district by almost 19,000 votes also, and by some 53,000 votes more in the second district. As such, prevailed by an overwhelming majority of 54,000 votes overall throughout Bohol," according to Aumentado.
In 2001, Aumentado won by 54 votes only in the first district, and overall 39,500 votes throughout Bohol even if chatto, Herrera, Board Member Conching Lim, Congressman Eladio Jala, Tomas Abapo (a board member then), then Gov. Relampagos ,two senators( Boy Herrera and Roco) and other LDP stalwarts rooted for his opponent.
Aumentado further said that he never confronted Chatto nor asked him to explain his actions, because he still respected the congressman and wanted to enlist wholehearted and sincere support in his vision to bring Bohol to progress and development.
This, even when a Malacanang official caught Chatto giving orders engineering the Aumentado's defeat "by a slight margin" in Balilihan.
"The hullabaloo resulting from the revocation of my Certificate of Nomination and acceptance (CONA) at 11:40 pm of December 1, 2009- triggered off the Lakas-kampi-CMD melee in Bohol today- which happened because of chatto's and cong. Cajes trademark back-stabbing coupled with concoction of black propaganda against me, including but not limited to allegations that I will not support Sec. Gibo Teiodoro for president because I am allegedly a very close friend of another presidentiable- Sen. Manuel Villar- because Villar and I accordingly shared a good times when he was Speaker while I was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives," aumentado said.
The governor also chided that Chatto and congressman Cajes did a Pontius Pilate on his CONA revocation by saying they were not consulted about it, and passed the blame to the Lakas-Kampi -CMD hierarchy instead.
However, in an interview with Chito Vissara's, party secretary- General Francis Xavier Manglapus could not cite any specific evidence that Aumentado ever "committed an act inimical to the interest of the party."
The interview "unmasked the facade of pretenses carefully built up by the two solons when Manglapus clarified that the party leaders put a premium on party consultation in the wake of the action they made", Aumentado said.
"In fact, Sec. Gibo Teodoro, Gov. Miguel Dominguez and Manglapus apologized to me the incident because ,they said, chatto and Cajes made them believe that I committed such act", he added.
Moreover, a common friend of Chatto and the governor even warned him to watch out because the solon is a "smiling assassin" , based on the experience that he had, at one time, fell victim also to the congressman's machinations.
Adding pain to the traitorous chatto-Cajes act was their effort to cover their tracts through the unity mass at the St. Joseph's cathedral, the unity dinner and unity raising of hands for photo opportunities for the benefits of the media and the public at the comelec supervisor's office last December 1.
In the saboteur tag, Aumentado disclosed that in 2001, the Relampagos- Chatto administration received financial aid worth P125 million for the improvement of the Catigbian-Sagbayan Road, repair/ rehabilitation and improvement of the Corella-Balilihan provincial road, rehabilitation of Cahayag Tubigon-Banlasan-Cabanugan San Isidro- Libertad, Tubigon road, and improvement (concrete paving) of juction National road -Carmen- Villahermoso provincial road with three bridges.
The Relampagos- Chatto administration had insisted that the Provincial Engineer's Office undertake the projects. But when Relamapagos lost in the elections, Chatto (as vice governor and presiding officer) steered the Sangguniang Panlalawigan into passing "Midnight Resolution" No. 2001-283 that terminated the memorandum of agreement between the provincial government and the DPWH, giving the latter sole authority to undertake the project.
"The SP had approved the resolution on June 29, 2001. the following day- during our joint inauguration- a smiling Chatto, in his message had said that he will support projects of the provincial government under the aumentado administration," according to the governor as he described the "smiling saboteur" in chatto.
Chatto, actually , had transferred the over P125 million to DPWH for it to implement the projects that turned out to be very expensive and yet substandard, like the Catigbian-Sagbayan Road constructed by Oaminal construction, a contractor based outside Bohol which was later blacklisted for substandard workmanship.
Aumentado also alleged that the top officials of Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) told him that when they finally bid out the Panglao Airport project, chatto requested them to delay the bidding and awarding process " until such time that he will already sit as governor" so that he will earn the credit and accolades" for finally implementing ' the same.
"What a greedy and selfish credit-grabber!"
As my vice chairman in Panglao Island Tourism Development Inter- Agency Task Force, Chatto would- in all our meetings on the Panglao Bohol International Airport Development Project, always express full support to President Arroyo and me to fast track the airport project," aumentado said he cited Chatto's contrasting sentiments on the project.
Aumentado further disclosed that chatto's projects in the first district, especially in Panglao Island, were "substandard" without no proper base preparation, and "bubble-riddled inside" due to poor concrete mixture or less cement mixed.
Based on the report of Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala, this led to arly cracking on the roads despite its high price.
"His projects are a poor comparison to the concreting works of CM Pancho Construction and Hanjin on the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project Phase 2 from Candijay to Valencia and on to Tagbilaran and Calape that now offers a smooth and comfortable ride," the governor said.
He said the international -standard conrete pavement projects are also reasonably priced compared to those of the congressman implemented by DPWH in Panglao, Corella, Sikatuna, the Macaas-Balilihan road and the Catigbian- Sagbayan road.
"If his grossly overpriced Panglao Circumferential Road project had followed even just minimum standards, it would not have easily scaled, discolored or cracked in a spider web pattern. Only recently finished, but he has already effected new overlaying in some areas to hide these defects- a fry cry from the provincial government's asphalting projects of the Tinago-Dao road in Dauis and the Poblacion-Doljo road in Panglao, both undertaken by a Bohol-based contractor who has a computerized batching plant in Baclayon for the correct temperature and lenght of time in heating the asphalt prior to application on provincial roads," Aumentado said.
The governor also expressed lament that Chatto has been involved in a "computer scam", based on reports reaching his office ,saying the computer sets- costing P170,000 each or a total packaged cost of P19 million pesos - easily broke down and turned out to be of unpopular brand, like those distributed by the congressman of the second district.
So kinsa may NANDUGGAB? WHO IS THE REAL TRAITOR - AUMENTADO or CHATTO?
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