Delos Santos: Disqualification plot
HAD Doctor Pat Tan’s Graftwatch not entered the picture, those who profited from the LGSF would have merrily strolled their way into the bank. The problem was that Dr. Tan got wind of the ghost delivery for the 5th district’s one half share of P10 million, hence Gov. Lito’s headache with the Ombudsman. What is sad is that the poor governor probably didn’t even know about it until Tan blew the lid off.
And why would Governor Lito ever think the purchases could go wrong? After all, it was 5th district congressman Lozada’s share as a finder’s reward for his locating and facilitating the LGSF due Negros Occidental. Besides, the provincial offices involved as well as the recipients of the engineering and hospital equipments have certified that they got them in good condition. His affixing his signature on the documents is at best ministerial.
Fortunately for Representative Lozada, he didn’t sign anything. His only role was in locating the LGSEF and facilitating its release. The purchase, acceptance of deliveries, the inspection, as well as payment, were all performed by the concerned provincial officials. Or might it be that they, too, like Governor Lito, were just too trusting?
_______0_______
It was reported earlier that PCSO Director Rey Roquero was considering a run for the governorship of Capiz, or at the very least, for his congressional district. However, we learned after the filing deadline that he had decided to tender his time and leave politics to his wife, Mary Joyce, who is running for reelection unopposed in their native town of Valderama.
Had Director Roquero ran, this would have provided the Capiz electorate a wider field to choose from rather than be limited to narrow choices such as Jocjoc Bolante of Fertilizer scam fame.
I personally owe Director Roquero. He was the one who facilitated the PCSO’s assistance when I hovered between life and death October of last year. For a three month period, from October to December, in fact up to early January, I was literally between life and death after that myocardial infarction. From the Don Pablo Torre Memorial Hospital, popularly known as Riverside, to the Philippine Heart Center, doctors battled to snatch me from Death’s jaws.
The cost of my new lease of life was enormous, and friends, both current and estranged, pitched in but it was a mere pittance of the more than a million pesos needed. Now Bacolod congressional candidate Cano Tan, who is Director Roquero’s friend, went out of his way to enlist PCSO’s thru the PCSO Director as well as that of Congressman Iggy Arroyo. So here I am, still alive and literally kicking.
Had Director Roquero chose to run, I could have helped in informing the electorate of Capiz about his untiring effort to save a life, for if he can do that in my case, there is no reason why he can’t do the same to his constituents.
But maybe there is a next time. I certainly owe Director Roquero one.
_______0_______
Among Leonardia’s announced projects is an eye center. However, this is way into the future, that if he wins on May, 2010. On the other hand, Congressman Monico’s Heart, Lungs and Kidney Center is in the here and now, adequately funded by the national government.
So, why did he “sabotage”, to borrow his word, it?
Might it be because envy, a green-eyed monster, is gnawing at his heart?
_________0________
A disqualification case has been filed by a Talisay resident against UNA congressional bet Albee Benitez. It turned out that Benitez wasn’t even born here but in the United States. He grew up there, studied there, and lived there most of his life.
A total stranger to the electorate of his district, he now has the temerity to seek their vote.
He is even worse than Anthony Golez, who also aims to represent Bacolod in Congress. At least, Golez studied in Bacolod during his college days.
However, like him, Golez is also a stranger to the Bacolod electorate. Where they got the gall to seek the electorate’s vote astounds me to the core.