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Aquino
bloc wants P40-M
Sanchez
projects stopped
A
bloc led by Vice Gov. Alfred M. Aquino and
identified with Rep. Leandro B. Verceles, Jr.
has threatened provincial officials with
lawsuits if they would proceed with the
implementation of long-delayed infrastructure
projects worth over P40 million.
In
its Feb. 5, 2001 letter sent by fax, the
Santiago, Arevalo, Asuncion & Associates law
firm told provincial government department heads
in no uncertain terms that they, "together
with the principal perpetrators," will be
held criminally, administratively and civilly
liable "for any action taken in compliance
with any directive of the Governor" in the
implementation of alleged invalid and illegal
resolutions, ordinances, appropriations, taken
and approved during the 47th regular session
held on Nov. 27, 2000.
In
advising them to cease and desist from following
and honoring Gov. Hector S. Sanchez's orders,
the law firm asked the department heads to
"heed this advise to avoid being
unnecessarily brought into this
controversy."
According
to lawyer Jerry S. dela Cruz, his law firm has
been retained by "a group of Sanggunian
members lead (sic) by Vice Governor Alfred M.
Aquino to handle the filing with the Office of
the Ombudsman and the criminal prosecution of
the case of Usurpation of Authority and
Falsification by Public Officer against the
group of Sanggunian members lead (sic) by PBM
Edwin T. Tanael."
Atty.
dela Cruz claimed that on Nov. 27, 2000, the
provincial board during its 47th regular
session, after having been adjourned in the
morning for lack of quorum, was reconvened in
the afternoon, with the following PBMs in
attendance: Edwin T. Tanael, Rafael C. Zuniega,
Fredeswindo Gianan, Jr., Edgar T. Tapel, Magin
P. Isuela and Remelito S. Cabrera. He alleged
that Isuela is under suspension while Cabrera is
"also and still an unrecognized
member."
The
letter said that Tanael's group, "cognizant
of the fact that no quorum was ever mustered,
proceeded in transacting business: passing and
approving resolutions, appropriation,
ordinances, motions, etc. which are by force of
law, null and voids ab initio, hence, invalid
and illegal."
One
of the provincial officials who received the
faxed letters told the Tribune that they have
decided to hold in abeyance the implementation
of the projects pending the issuance by Gov.
Sanchez of an order directing them to proceed
with its implementation by administration.
Gov.
Sanchez did just that, reportedly ordering
provincial department heads to proceed with the
project implementation. The governor reportedly
said that only a temporary restraining order
from the proper court can halt the
implementation of the vital projects, the
benefits of which has been denied the people for
two years now.
The
projects are consists of nine projects earlier
bidded out in 1999 but which were not awarded
due to legal constraints and around 50 projects
charged to the 2000 Economic Development Fund
which have remained unimplemented due to
strenuous and, critics say, politically
motivated objections of the Verceles bloc in the
provincial board.
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