ANGELES CITY -- Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan claimed that he has been “cleared” from the list of narco-politicians and that no less than President Duterte stated the three-term local chief executive had nothing to do with illegal drugs.
Pamintuan stressed this when he delivered his State of the City Address (Soca) at the city legislative building the other day, emphasizing that he is just waiting for higher authorities’ official pronouncement about his clearance from the alleged narcolist.
During his speech, Pamintuan said that President Rodrigo Duterte already cleared him of allegations relative to illegal drugs.
“I know many are asking, are worried, although some are rejoicing since they can use the issue that I am included in the narcolist,” he said.
Last July 11, the mayor said the President invited him to attend a command conference spearheaded by the National Security Council.
“Last July 11, I was personally invited by President Duterte to attend the command conference of the National Security Council attended by heads from the Senate, Congress, Department of Interior and Local Government, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and all intelligence agencies. Before all of them, the President said that based on his investigation, I have nothing to do with illegal drugs. I am just waiting for their official pronouncement on this,” he said.
Pamintuan assured that individuals who included him in the list of narco-politicians will suffer under the law.
“Whoever had a hand in including me in the list without basis or evidence, the law has measures to make them answerable on this. We will make sure they will face the law!” he stressed.
Sound fiscal management
Aside from this, the mayor disclosed during his Soca that the city’s budget has soared to P1.915 billion in 2018.
The mayor reported to the people of Angeles the sound fiscal management of the city government under his administration.
He said their budget increased by P100 million every year since he assumed office in 2010.
“In 2010 when I took over as mayor, the city’s budget was only P800-million. In our first year, we were able to increase it to P1.915-billion,” he said.
About 53 percent of the figure came from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) and 47 percent were derived from the city’s local income, according to Pamintuan.
“This means we just depended on IRA which we sometimes had to advance because of the meager budget,” he said.
“This year, our budget is P1.915-billion. Summed up, there was an additional more or less P100-million every year in our budget. The bigger part of 65 percent came from local income and only 35 percent came from IRA,” the mayor added.
Pamintuan also attributed the financial standing of the city to the efficient tax collection and eradication of corruption in the local government.
“How did we do this? It was through good governance and the trust of Angelenos in us. Collection of taxes was efficient and strict and we fought corruption to earn the trust of our taxpayers,” the mayor said.
According to Pamintuan, the city received various awards during his three terms as local chief executive.
“We were never tainted of any wrong doing that is why we received numerous awards and recognition in the past nine years. That is why maybe your local chief executive has been trusted and made chairman of the Regional Development Council and president the League of Cities of the Philippines, aside from being invited and share in international conferences on modern and good governance,” the mayor stated.