Thursday, March 06, 2008 DILG avoided meddling in polls: director
DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 Pedro Noval Jr. yesterday reiterated that they did not meddle in the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP) affairs.
In a press statement, Noval denied that his office conducted any survey to “seek data” on the probability of each candidate’s victory in the April 12 elections.
It was also untrue that DILG’s top management ordered them to conduct any survey, he said.
Endorsement
“DILG is not campaigning for the candidacy of Antipolo Vice Mayor Danilo Leyble nor endorsing anyone for league presidency. It is the pride of the office that the national league president comes from Cebu,” said Noval in a statement.
The DILG was dragged into the fray when the league recently denounced the alleged intervention of the agency in its affairs by “soliciting support and openly endorsing” the candidacy of Leyble as the next VMLP national president.
Noval denied this, saying he does not know Leyble. Noval also said that campaigning is not their business.
But lawyer Rory John Sepulveda, Capitol consultant on information and revenue generation, asked why the controversy came up just when Cebuanos (Cebu City Vice Mayor Mike Rama and Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna) signified interest in running for the national league presidency.
The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) passed a resolution expressing disappointment over the alleged DILG intervention in the league election.
PB Members Victor Maambong and Bea Mercedes Calderon also filed separate resolutions condemning the alleged meddling.
However, Noval denied that the DILG is responsible for the transfer of the venue of the election from Cebu City to Manila.
He said that the matter was decided by the executive board of the league during their meeting at Sabin Resort in Ormoc City last Feb. 22.
“The office did not wish to meddle in the aspiration of the candidates from Cebu Province,” said Noval. (GMD)
