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Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Exec grateful for mayor's pronouncement
By Barbara Carla R. Quiero
DAVAO City Councilor Diosdado Mahipus is thankful that Mayor Rodrigo Duterte virtually cleared his name on the alleged irregularities in the aborted purchase of a relocation site in Sitio Balite, Buhangin.
The 30,000-square meter relocation site was intended for the resettlement area of 50 families of Back of Regional Resettlement Association (Barresa) whose houses are to be demolished this May 17.
The mayor during his Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, Sunday program said Mahipus was only trying to help the squatters being a public official.
"I thank personally Mayor Duterte for clearing my name and lawyer Dataya for clarifying my involvement). It's enough he (Dataya) refuted. I cannot expect more from him," Mahipus said Monday.
During his privilege speech during the City Council session last week, Mahipus said his name was maliciously dragged by lawyer Cesar Dataya, officer-in-charge of the Housing and Homesite Division of the City Planning and Development Office, as the one who followed up the purchase of the relocation site.
Dataya later refuted Mahipus's accusation.
Mahipus admitted that he initially transmitted the request of the Barresa settlers for a relocation site to the City Mayor's Office as the request was in his desk.
"It was in my desk that this request was presented by the Barresa settlers. It could have been any councilor for that matter, it so happened the ones requesting are from Buhangin and I am also from Buhangin and so they approached me. I referred the request to the City Housing," he said.
"After all that's part of my job had I been a garbage collector and I transmitted the documents to the City Housing then you should doubt me because after all I'm supposed to be a garbage collector and must have some interest in it. But since I am a councilor, an official chosen by the people to speak for them so it is my duty to transmit this to the agency concerned," he added.
Mahipus said he was already out of the picture when the negotiation between the City Government and the landowner started.
The City Council first gave its nod for the acquisition of the land but recalled it upon realizing that the land is not suitable for a settlement area because of its steep contours.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (May 16, 2006 issue)
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