Wednesday, July 02, 2008 Vice guv dares Panlilio to resign By Ian Ocampo Flora
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- "This is a man-to-man challenge. If he can prove that I am not doing my job, I will resign!"
Vice Governor Joseller Guiao issued the statement in reaction to the speech of Governor Eddie Panlilio during last Monday's first year anniversary in office.
Guiao was saddened by Panlilio's alleged declaration that he might be spending more time in coaching than in his work in government.
Panlilio also lashed out at the Provincial Board (PB) for the non-approval of some of his administration's requests for budget in his speech.
In the PB session last Monday, Guiao criticized Panlilio's remarks. He said if Panlilio finds lapses in his performance as vice governor, he will immediately resign.
Guiao also defended the action of the PB on the pending requests of the governor. He added that the requests would have been considered had the governor properly justified these.
"It is unfair that the governor speaks as if we are not doing anything when, in fact, we have given half of their request for budget. They are requesting but they must first justify," Guiao said.
The vice governor said they have approved a considerable number of the governor's initial requests. He said the PB has approved at least seven resolutions releasing P58,852,720 to the executive department, biggest of which was the fund given to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) amounting to P20.76 million.
The PB, he said, also approved four ordinances allowing the use of P51,703,383 for the rehabilitation of the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center, aid to Gawad Kalinga, aid to hospitals, and the overtime and night differential pay of quarry checkers, among others.
"If we are unreasonable, we could not have given these requests," he said, adding that Panlilio's other request should be properly justified to be considered by the PB.
Among those enumerated by Panlilio in his speech were the budget for the operating expenses of the quarry task force Biyayang Luluguran at Sisikapan (Balas), Provincial Information Office (PIO), and Management Information System (MIS). He also lashed out at the PB for the non-approval of the supplemental budget for salary Grade I employees and the fund for the Provincial Government's scholars.
All of these, the priest-turned-governor said, await the action of the PB.
Guiao, on the other hand, said Panlilio should show that the approved budget was used where they were originally intended and justify his requests before making "unfair" statements to the public.
