THIS has-been politician plans to build another South Road Properties (SRP) once elected mayor. For what? To leave a legacy or to leave another huge loan for the next generation to pay? Note also the allegations that some people made money from the SRP.
Why create a new SRP when the first has not been totally disposed of and developed yet? Only a small portion of the 300-hectare property has been acquired by private developers. A big portion has been left idle.
We don't know yet the fate of that property in the next few years. Develop it first before embarking on a similar project. Anyway, if the need arises, it only takes a few years to reclaim the area as long as money is available.
How many years have the SRP been left idle? Had other developers been interested to buy and develop the area earlier, I think it would have already been sold out now. But why is it that until now it is only SM Prime Holdings, Filinvest and Ayala Land that have acquired properties there? Where are the other investors? Why did they not show interest in investing there?
Now this has-been politician wants to create another reclamation area when the North Reclamation Area (NRA), which was conceived and developed by his late father, has not yet been fully developed after several decades from its completion. A big portion of the NRA has been converted as stockyards of shipping operators.
This has-been politician is already in his twilight zone and he has a health problem. So anytime he will go. Dili man ni panunglo ning ako kay kitang tawo mamatay man gyud ta ba.
Will he make the next generation carry the burden of paying a huge loan for SRP 2 like what the present administration is doing now? The city under Mayor Mike Rama has the capacity to pay the loan for the first SRP using the proceeds from the sale of some properties there but this has-been politician and his minions at the City Council opposed the move. I cannot understand it.
This person is so desperate he is promising everything during this election just to get elected again for mayor. He pretends to be humble and approachable during this election period. Mo-smile na man gani kuno ngadto sa mga tawo.
But I hope the Cebuanos will not be deceived by the true and real character of this person. He is just putting up a pretense to be able to gain the support of the people. But the after elections, especially if he wins, God forbid, his true color will come out.
He is arrogant. Just ask the people close to him and they will tell you the real character of this person. You can ask former city councilor Gabby Leyson and he will tell you stories about this has-been politician. Unya si Gabby baya ang nagtabang ana niya pag-abot dinhi sa Cebu sa una gikan sa America nga wa pay nahot.
***
If this were boxing, presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte is being beaten black and blue by his opponents. Kun ang taga-Dalaguete pay pasultihon, “Bisan asa lingi, pite. Bisan asa sandig pisi. Maayo pay lumigid.”
Duterte, who is leading in various presidential surveys, has been the subject of attacks and black propaganda as the campaign period reaches the homestretch. The latest issue thrown at Duterte is his alleged P2 billion-plus bank deposits as exposed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes, who is running for vice president.
This allegation, whether true or not, has somewhat painted a negative image of the maverick mayor because people perceive him as a simple and incorruptible public servant. Mind you, his advocacy is to fight graft and corruption. How he can fight corruption when he is also corrupt? People will perceive Duterte as corrupt because where did he get this huge amount of money when he was only a mayor and has no businesses at all.
Pareho gihapon aning has-been politician nga pag-abot gikan sa America walay kuwarta, nagpabuhi lang sa iyang mga amigo. Pero pagka-mayor na, nahimo naman nga “one of the most wealthiest mayor in the country.”
Duterte refused to sign a waiver to open his bank accounts. Instead, he challenged Trillanes to execute an affidavit first regarding his allegations. If Duterte has nothing to hide, why refuse to do so?
But its hard to believe this allegation considering that this is election time and it could be part of black propaganda to destroy a leading presidential candidate.
(bobby@sunstar.com.ph)