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Wednesday, June 04, 2003
Feud of uncle, pa muddling issue on energy: John-john
By Karen M. Flores
SEN. John “Sonny” Osmeña crammed a press conference into a brief trip to Cebu yesterday that lasted for less than hour to answer for the second time Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s accusations of misdeeds as a public official.
This time, however, aside from hurling counter-accusations, he chastised his cousin for muddling such an important issue as a possible power crisis in Metro Cebu.
Both Osmeñas could learn from a younger generation of the family.
Vice Gov. John Gregory “John-john” Osmeña said that while he is happy that his uncle Tomas and Sonny, his father, are finally taking the same side of an issue, their word war is “overshadowing” the more important points.
“I realize that what they are doing is counter-productive. Veco is happy with this situation because the issue about them (Veco) is not being discussed anymore,” John-john told reporters Sunday night.
In a talk with reporters yesterday, Sonny agreed that the effects of his exchange of words with the mayor is only “taking the heat away from the power issue.”
By drawing attention away from the issue regarding the Visayan Electric Co. and the Cebu Private Power Corp., Sonny said Tomas “must have entered into another compromise agreement” with them.
The senator wanted to clarify, however, the issues about the P932-million meant for the South Reclamation Project (SRP), his private plane and his golf course in Pamplona.
Tomas said the senator “sabotaged” the SRP by diverting funds meant for the coastal road, a major segment of the reclamation project.
Of the money that was diverted from the SRP, the senator said, “there is not a single voucher, piece of paper or check with my signature on it. I had nothing to do with that.”
Of the total amount, only P480 million was used for other purposes while the rest stayed with the National Government.
From the P480 million, P400 million was channeled to what was formerly the Central Visayas Projects Development Coordinating Committee (CVPDCC) that was tasked to oversee large infrastructure undertakings in Region 7.
The P80 million was used for the road right-of-way acquisition of the Naga-Toledo wharf road.
The CVPDCC was created by the Regional Development Council in 1999 as suggested by Sonny, who was then Senate finance committee chairman.
As for the Pamplona Plantation golf course, Sonny said this was constructed out of the P170 million raised by 625 stockholders, who shelled out P270,000 for each share.
The single engine Cessna 172 plane that Tomas said Sonny owns is the property of Pamplona Plantation. It stays at the Mactan General Aviation Area, Sonny said.
(June 4, 2003 issue)
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