PB probe on tax fee eyed

WHY pay taxes in a tax-free transaction?

At least five Cebu Provincial Board (PB) members want to know why their colleague, John Bolo, was quoted in a news report as saying he paid P50,000 to Provincial Treasurer Roy Sa-lubre, in relation to the Capitol’s purchase of the Balili resort property.

Bolo, however, told Sun.Star Cebu in a text message that he did not hand out P50,000, contrary to the report.

“I never gave any amount to anybody,” said Bolo.

Salubre, in a previous text message, also denied receiving any amount from Bolo. “Lain siguro iyang gitagaan (He may have given it to somebody else)?” the treasurer said.

PB Member Victor Maambong said he is willing to sponsor a resolution to reopen the board’s investigation on the Balili purchase, a deal that cost the Province about P99 million.

According to the me-morandum of agreement between Capitol and the heirs of Luis Balili, the taxes will be shouldered by the vendors. These include real property, estate, capital gains, documentary stamps and transfer taxes. The Balilis also committed to pay for the registration and transfer of titles, relocation of tenants and legal fees.

The Province is now trying to recover P38 million of what it paid, representing the part of the Tinaan, Naga land that turned out to be underwater or covered by mangroves.

But the executive branch still plans to reclaim part of the property, like the fishponds, using coal ash from power plants. A Korean company will pay the Capitol containment fees for the ash.

Apart from the PB, the ombudsman and the governor’s Balili Properties Review Committee also went over the transaction.

Member Joven Mondigo Jr., who heads the ad hoc committee that investigated the transaction, said the majority’s approval is needed for the probe to be reopened.

After less than two months, the PB recently decided to end its hearings on the Balili case.

The PB may, however, call for a special session so that Member Bolo and Salubre can shed light on the latest issue.

The matter reached PB Members Wilfredo Caminero, Agnes Magpale, Mondigo, Maambong and Calderon in China, where they joined the governor in a trip to promote
Cebu.

If Maambong’s proposed resolution will be approved, it will take a month to complete the PB’s final report on the land purchase.

Tomas says he’ll support Gwen for veep

GOV. Gwendolyn Garcia may well be Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s worst enemy at present, but she can expect to get his support if she decides to run for vice president.

“You ask me if I will support her? Yes, of course! Good riddance. You can have her, Philippines,” Osmeña told reporters yesterday.

Garcia is reportedly being considered to be Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro’s running mate, but her camp said she will not run for vice president and will seek reelection instead.

Told about the mayor’s latest taunt, Capitol consultant on information and revenue generation Rory Jon Sepulveda answered: “Thanks, but no thanks because she is not running for vice president. At least he will support her, but as usual, for a crooked reason.”

“If he will run for vice president for (Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani) Fernando, I will personally support him,” said Sepulveda. “But wala ma’y nikuha niya. If naa lang (But no one is asking Tomas to run).”

Also yesterday, One Cebu confirmed Toledo City Mayor Arlene Zambo has joined the party, turning her back on former senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña.

Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu Province, 3rd district) said that Zambo and Toledo City Vice Mayor Rudy Espinosa, her father, are now with the local administration party.

Zambo could not be reached for comment.

Sonny Osmeña said the move did not surprise him, because Zambo has been friendly with the Garcias for a few years now.

Local alliances with national candidates remain fluid for now, but Mayor Osmeña said he hopes Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero will get together with Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

“I like Chiz very much. As a matter of fact, I really like Chiz more than Noynoy. It’s only because Mar is there, and Noynoy is with him...that’s why I decided to support Noynoy.”

“I wish all these young blood people will get together, Chiz, Noynoy and Mar, because that’s what we need. Young blood and new politics, that’s what people are looking for,” said Osmeña.

“Junjun Davide is young blood, versus Tandang Sora,” Osmeña said.

The mayor said that Governor Garcia will have a graceful exit if she runs for vice president, because she “is in for a major upset in the province.”

He discussed the results of a local radio survey that asked Cebuanos whom they will support for governor. He said that City Councilor Hilario Davide III got 50 votes, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano got 42 and Garcia got three votes. (No other details were available on the survey.)

Davide’s resignation from the City Council takes effect tomorrow, but he has not decided yet if he will run for governor. His selection as Liberal Party chairman for Cebu prompted his resignation from the City.

“And if Junjun runs, you know what we will do? We’ll ask the Cebuanos to go out of their way to help Junjun,” the mayor said.

For their part, Congressman Garcia and Mayor Zambo formalized their alliance at the Toledo Arcade in a luncheon last Tuesday, witnessed by Provincial Board Member Ian Zambo and all the barangay captains of Toledo City.

At the beginning of the term, while Zambo and Governor Garcia started working together, the congressman was critical of the city mayor and questioned her sincerity.

“I just had to be convinced of her sincerity and she proved that in the past year, supporting the initiatives of the governor and upholding the programs,” Pablo John said.

Pablo John admitted, though, that it was also a political move.

Zambo has 22 barangay captains on her side, as opposed to One Cebu’s 16. Toledo City has the biggest voting population in the third district.
“I would be dishonest if I did not admit that this really strengthens One Cebu in Toledo City,” said Pablo John.

Sonny admitted the alliance is a loss to the opposition.

“I always gave them a free hand when it came to choosing candidates. Pablo John will demand to pick five councilors, which I never did,” said Sonny. (LCR/JGA)

Listing shutout

UNLESS they are patient, thousands of voters in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu may not be registered by the Oct. 31 deadline, officials said.

Low-capacity data-capturing machines allow Commission on Elections (Comelec) personnel to accommodate only a limited number of applicants, most of whom are too impatient if asked to return the next day.

In Mandaue City, Atty. Anna Fleur Gujilde, the election officer, estimated that as many as 3,000 may not be accommodated after the deadline at the current pace. In Lapu-Lapu City, Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde said the office can only accommodate 600 of some 1,200 who report to their office daily.

Comelec Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano declined to estimate how many applicants may end up not being registered in time for the May 2010 elections.

He said the registration figures can only be finalized once the lists are approved by the election registration board. This will take place from Nov. 16 to 20. Comelec will also release its quarterly progress report by that time.

Expecting a thick crowd of last-minute registrants until Saturday, Cebu City poll offices are planning registration procedures on the last day to make sure that all those who go will be accommodated.

The Comelec provincial office addressed the city poll offices’ problem on the shortage of registration forms by diverting the supply intended for Tudela town to Cebu City.

Lawyer Marchel Sarno, election officer for the north district, said some of the municipal election offices have not requested for additional forms yet, that is why they were able to use the forms intended for Tudela.

Despite the lack of forms, election offices in the city continued to be flooded by last-minute registrants up to 9 p.m. The past nights, some have been turned away and asked to return the next day.

To avoid any conflict with registrants on Saturday, the last day of registration, Sarno said he and his staff agreed to distribute forms to everyone who will be in line but can no longer be accommodated for registration.

They will be asked to write their names in a logbook and will be allowed to complete the registration process the following day.

Sarno said he will ask Castillano for additional guidelines on how they should go about the registration on the last day, to make sure that everyone will be able to list up.

As of yesterday, there was no advice from the Comelec Manila office on a possible extension of the registration period.

“Usually on the last day, iya-iya na man lang ug diskarte mga election officers (are left to their own devices) on how they will go about the registration and on how they will accommodate everyone, so this time mangayo tag clarification on what to do,” Sarno added.

In Mandaue’s case, some 12,000 to 15,000 additional voters are expected to register. However, the Comelec office can only process 700 applicants per day.

Former vice mayor Amadeo Seno Jr. recalled that during his time, a five percent increase was expected with every election. He said it was likely the registrants were bused in from the different barangays.

There is nothing wrong with the practice, as long as applicants follow the regular process of registration, the election officer said.

The local Comelec office expects an increase of 15,000 voters after the deadline. So far this month, the office already registered 8,400.

Since Oct. 26, Atty. Gujilde of the Mandaue office said, she expected 1,000 applicants daily but only 700 were entertained.

Most of the 300 are asked to return the next day to register, transfer or reactivate their status as voters, since there is no more time.

The city has three data-capturing machines and 20 personnel.

A Comelec worker who requested not to be named revealed that a data-capturing machine can only process 150 individuals a day and not more, as it might overheat.

Most applicants lose interest in registering after seeing the long line of applicants, the worker added.

In the May 2007 election, Mandaue had 144,061 voters; this went up to 154,468 voters five months later, during the barangay election.

As of September 2009, the figure had increased by about 20,000, at 174,458 registered voters.

In Lapu-Lapu City, Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde said he expected an increase of 20,000 voters from their May 2007 figure, which stood at 141,000.

Chiz quits NPC, still undecided

INSTEAD of confirming he will run for president in 2010, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero surprised his supporters and allies when he announced yesterday his resignation from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

Escudero, 40, pleaded for more time to think about his political plans, saying he has not yet decided whether or not to run for president in the May elections.

“Let that be the first test of leadership of any putative candidate,” he said in his press conference. “Nais ko pong ipabatid na ako ay nagpaalam at nagre-sign na sa NPC (I
wish to inform you that I have said goodbye and resigned from the NPC).”

Not even the party’s founder and chairman emeritus, Eduardo “Dan-ding” Cojuangco, knew about the decision beforehand, Escudero said. Cojuangco’s nephew, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, earlier left the party and is now the administration party’s presidential candidate.

Escudero said he did speak with the party’s chairman, former Isabela governor Faustino Dy, and that he remains on good terms with party officials.

The decision leaves Escudero with mostly volunteers for a campaign machinery if he does run for office. At his press conference were supporters like the Filipinos for
Peace, Justice and Progress Movement; Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago, Youth for Chiz, Friends of Chiz and Move my Chiz, Move.

Escudero has been an NPC member since 1998 when he first ran for Congress, representing the first district of Sorsogon.

He cited three reasons for leaving NPC: a presidential candidate must not belong to any party, a candidate must not be tied to his party, and he can perform his job better if he is his own man.

Sen. Loren Legarda, the NPC’s probable vice presidential candidate, said she respects Escudero’s decision and understands “the noble sentiments behind it.”

“I can only hope that more self-sacrificing and patriotic individuals will join me in this decisive battle for our people’s ultimate redemption from misery,” she said.

Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, Danding’s son, said he was surprised by the decision as he expected Escudero to announce he is running for president.

Though his decision on his presidential bid remains on hold, Escudero said it is his desire to run for a higher public office to serve the country either as president or vice president.

“Hindi po ako heredero, hindi po ako bilyonaryo, kaya kailangang timbangin ko ang desisyon sa pagtakbo sa mga susunod na lingo (I am neither a rich family’s heir nor a billionaire, so I need to weigh this decision carefully in the next few weeks),” he said, in a thinly veiled reference to other presidential aspirants like Sen. Benigno Aquino III and Sen. Manuel Villar.

Just last Tuesday, Escudero’s political adviser Lito Banayo disputed speculations the senator will no longer be seeking the presidency in next year’s elections.

Legarda on Tuesday also admitted she has not been meeting with Escudero to discuss their expected tandem for the 2010 polls. (Sunnex)