Peña accepts Marañon’s challenge for debate

MAYOR Magdaleno M. Peña of Pulupandan town accepted the challenge of Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. to a debate in order to test one’s mental alertness and settle the issues once and for all.

The mayor issued the statement after the governor dared his detractors to a mental alertness test in order to refute Peña’s impression that the governor is showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease when Marañon predicted that he would win in five out of the six congressional districts in the province.

“Since he has challenged me, I am more than happy to face the governor in a debate, said the mayor.

“Let it be held in the social hall of the Provincial Capitol, I am free on Monday, I will be there whether he comes or not!” Peña said.

Peña also reacted to the governor’s statements that he was twisting facts when the mayor issued a statement that regarding the delay in the release of the loan for Capitol’s Cyber Centre project.

“I did not say that the LGU or the province for this matter is under the regulatory powers of the Bangko Sentral,” the mayor clarified.

“What I said before was that the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) has ordered the DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines), being a financial institution and under its supervision and control, to stop the release of loan for the Cyber Centre project pending further orders,” he added.

The mayor also said that the governor attempts to mislead the public by saying that the cost of transport and taxes is included in the farmgate prices of ewe and ram at AUS$230 and AUS$270.

“The people should know that the governor appropriated P18,093,162.38 or AUS$394.050 for the freight and taxes and this is not included in the farmgate prices of AUS$230 and AUS$270 which farmgate prices would now be raised to AUS$298 each ewe and AUS$338 per ram if said incidental costs are added, said Peña.

Peña also reacted to Marañon’s statement that, at his age and health, he manages to juggle public functions and entertains at least ten groups of people in the office in a day.

“It is surprising to know that the governor now receives ten groups of people in his office everyday. It is really good that he is doing that because, prior to election season or even before, officials such as those barangay captains and other low key officials coming from far places from the 1st District or the 6th District would be denied access to him if these officials failed to ask prior appointment with the governor. These poor officials would go home to their far-flung places with shoulders shrugged in dismay,” said the mayor.