OUTGOING Gov. Hilario Davide III said he felt insulted after receiving the letter of incoming Gov. Gwen Garcia reminding him not to make “midnight deals and appointments” in his remaining days in office. Davide said he was insulted with what Garcia said in her letter because the tenor was so offensive. “It is no longer necessary for her to remind me because I know what I am doing,” Davide said, claiming he has already created his own transition committee to coordinate with Garcia’s team for a smooth turnover when his term expires on June 30.
Garcia and Davide won in the gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial race, respectively, in the recently concluded elections.
Garcia, in her May 20 letter to Davide, reminded the latter “to refrain from issuing midnight appointments and entering into midnight deals, contracts and transactions pursuant to the existing laws, rules and regulations. I am serving notice that any appointment and/or deals, contracts and transactions entered into during the transition period will not be honored by me.”
Garcia’s letter was only a reiteration to a memorandum circular issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government to all incoming and outgoing local chief executives for a smooth transition and turnover of power on June 30.
Why was Davide feeling insulted when Garcia was only reminding him not to do any move to sign any appointment or enter into a deal. Who knows that he will appoint some of his trusted men to plantilla or regular positions. That is a common practice among outgoing local chief executives. Remember the outgoing administration still has more than a month to hold power. We don’t know what’s in their mind.
Sources said Davide was scheduled to interview last Monday three nurses assigned at the Provincial Heath Office for promotion. But the Human Resource Officer advised him not to pursue the interview and promotion because the three applicants are facing administrative cases. You see, that was supposed to be a classic example of a midnight appointment. We don’t even know if Davide will make a last ditch legal effort to “save” his 20-story Capitol Resource Center building so that Garcia can no longer touch it.
So, why did Davide feel insulted? For me, the anomalies and corruption cases committed by his people during his six-year stint were more insulting. Wasn’t it an insult on his part that his trusted men who headed the bids and awards committee allegedly rigged the bidding for Capitol’s security provider and the purchase of the heavy equipment? Wasn’t it an insult on his part when his department head at the environmental office was accused of allegedly receiving appliances from a hauler of sand and gravel and sexual harassment?
Wasn’t it an insult on his person when his most trusted man allegedly stole Capitol’s property and brought these to the subdivision where this official is residing without even the courtesy of informing or asking permission from him?
Also, it is more insulting that the Cebuanos elected a governor who did nothing in his six years in office. Aber, what’s Davide’s achievements and accomplishments? He was too close to the Aquino administration. But did he implement remarkable projects for Cebu? Nothing.
The South Bus Terminal, which was like an airport during the time of Garcia, now looks like a slaughterhouse. The world-class Cebu International Convention Center which was already making revenues was made into an evacuation center for fire victims and was sold to Mandaue City.
The six years of laziness and graft-ridden administration has finally ended.