|
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Editorial: Whiff of irregularity
MAYBE the Commission on Audit (COA) is investigating barangay officials allegedly committing financial anomalies, maybe not if Mayor Vicente Emano is to be believed.
What should be noted however is the continued insistence by Mayor Emano that nothing anomalous had been done by these barangay officials who are said to be identified with his camp.
And this is hardly unexpected given his stance towards one barangay official who allegedly abused one minor compelling the mayor to relegate the case to the City Council for deliberations.
What is particularly grating for Emano about this case is that it was part of an expose by his favorite opposition Councilor Zaldy Ocon during his "Koskos Batikos" program over at Radio Mindanao Network dxCC.
For legal reasons however the names have not been revealed causing us to wonder whether there is any solid evidence for Ocon to back up his claims. Though it's not in the realm of impossibility that he would make his revelations anytime soon. Abangan.
Even without the names however Emano had been in the defensive also causing the people to wonder if he knows about this already and made some moves of his own.
In any case he was pretty quick to react to the Ocon expose, dismissing it as yet another figment of the councilor's fertile imagination. Yet this matter is not one that should be easily dismissed.
As recounted by opposition Councilor Hilario Roy Raagas the mayor was quick to sow political hay when certain barangay officials were supposedly caught using funds alloted by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. for other means--he even made a personal appearance before the City Council to boot.
Given that previous reaction Emano's quick defense of barangay officials identified with his camp does smack of double standards but again this is to be expected owing to their support of his administration.
With this issue in hand it's up to Ocon and those in the opposition to raise their case before the city residents of Cagayan de Oro. And the audience certainly won't be taken in by mere fire and brimstone speeches; it's the non-disclosure of these names that keeps this particular expose hanging.
If there is any whiff of irregularity committed by these still unnamed barangay officials City Hall shouldn't stonewall and instead proceed with the investigation. If they can't do it then COA-10 should spearhead the investigation.
(June 4, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
|
