Erico-Cajes "war" erupts

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The simmering animosity of two longtime allies finally exploded as Gov. Erico Aumentado and Second District Rep. Roberto Cajes lashed at each other with accusations of corruption and collusion with contractors to clinch local projects.

Aumentado took on the solon during his weekly media forum, "The Governor Reports" on Friday, blasting Cajes for allegedly benefiting from infrastructure projects through "favored contractors".

Cajes shot back yesterday challenging the governor to cull records from the Commission on Audit (COA) and compare how much of congressional "pork barrel" allocations were actually utilized and poured into the second district during each of their three terms as congressman.

Cajes unleashed his own offensive by citing the governor's failure to implement decent infrastructure projects in his nine years as congressman. "Aumentado is besieged with accusations of corruption since he was a congressman and up to this time that he is governor. No matter how hard he tries to project himself as a serious crusader against graft, people won't believe him," Cajes stressed.

Highly-placed sources revealed to the Chronicle that there have been at least two reconciliatory meetings brokered by the administration party's national executive committee between Aumentado and Cajes in Manila.

But the recent exchange of tirades between the governor and the solon may have flushed out chances of unifying once again the province's Lakas-Kampi-CMD stalwarts, the sources said.

The word war was triggered when Cajes declared in an interview over "Inyong Alagad" program of Station dyRD that the reinstatement of the governor's Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (Cona) as Lakas-Kampi official congressional bet in the second district was just a "consuelo de bobo".

WIPE OUT CORRUPTION

Aumentado is projecting his bid to reclaim his old Congress seat as "a crusade to wipe out widespread corruption" prevailing in the second district.

The governor accused Cajes of giving preference to non-Boholano contractors to the dismay of the Bohol Builders and Contractors Association.

Aumentado said local contractors met with him Thursday to air their sentiments and that they find bids being rigged in favor of contractors outside Bohol.

"Local builders feel they are discriminated over non-local bidders no matter how qualified they are to undertake the projects in the district even if they strictly adhere to requirements of the bidding process," the governor bared.

He divulged that "the most influential official in the second district" is "using his influence" to corner most of the contracts for bidders not from Bohol.

Local builders purportedly told the governor that contractors from Cebu and Leyte are favored despite having observed their slow operations.

Aumentado likewise denounced the congressman's alleged connection to a "dummy-contractor" which has been awarded infrastructure projects in the district.

"This is shameful and I could not turn my back on something that has to be stopped.

My candidacy is also a campaign to stomp out corruption in the second district," he stressed.

WHO'S CORRUPT?

Cajes turned the tables on Aumentado saying it was the latter who brought in foreign contractors.

"He is accusing me now of what he was doing then. Who invited Hanjin and other Korean and Chinese contractors here?" Cajes asked.

The solon said the present situation is more favorable to local builders who can compete freely in bidding for projects, Cajes added.

Cajes explained that congressmen could not control the bidding process as it is open and competitive.

Reacting to the governor's insinuation of a "dummy contractor" that is closely associated to the solon, Cajes retorted that the governor knows that the owner of the batching plant being alluded to, is the latter's "kumpare".

"In fact, many people know the governor himself has given favors to this 'kumpare' by awarding him several projects. You have more reason to believe that he may be the co-owner of that batching plant, and just laying the blame on me," Cajes said.

ASPHALT OVER CEMENT

The governor accused Cajes of wasting government funds by causing the implementation of a P10-million road rehabilitation project in Talibon by overlaying asphalt over a concrete road that is still in good condition.

"Sourced out of the Motor Vehicle User's Charge (MVUC), the P10-million funding is shamefully wasted," Aumentado stressed.

He added that the asphalt overlay only covered 1,350 meters with a 6.10 meter width, and yet it costs P10-million.

"I have been informed that the asphalt is of substandard quality and awarded to a contractor that has no Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)," Aumentado disclosed.

"Why award it to a contractor that has not complied with government regulations? This project reeks of under the table arrangements," he added.

NATIONAL FUND

But Cajes shrugged off the issue saying the asphalt overlay is a national highway maintenance project and not sourced out of his PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund).

"Only DPWH can decide on what to do with that MVUC funding. My PDAF are utilized for barangay and municipal projects," he justified.

According to the solon, he was responsible for the re-blocking of portions of the governor's circumferential road project out of his PDAF.

UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION

Aumentado presented to media farm-to-market road projects funded by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the whole year of 2009 intended for the second district.

A total of 43 road rehabilitation and construction projects all went to the town of Trinidad, the hometown of Cajes.

"Trinidad is not the second district, but all farm-to-market road projects under the DA went to that single town," he pointed out.

The governor also disclosed that provincial environment and natural resources officer (PENRO) Nestor Canda was allegedly "pressured" by Cajes to implement a P15-million upland development project funded by the DENR to the town of Trinidad.

However, Canda refused as the amount was intended to be distributed in the entire province and not just for one town, according to the governor.

CAJES STRIKES BACK

Defending himself against the allegation, Cajes said that if the governor believes he has done something illegal, then he should file a formal complaint in the proper forum.

"Nobody has ever sought an investigation against me until now that I am going to end my full three terms," Cajes said.

"I challenge him to account for his pork barrel funds and where it ended up as we do not see major projects during his three terms as the congressman of the second district," Cajes said.

The congressman vowed that he is "pushed by circumstances", he will uncover documents in public that would be a major bombshell against Aumentado.

A louder cry to save the tarsiers

By Kit Bagaipo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:01:00 01/08/2010

SAVE THE TARSIER” has become the battle cry of environmentalists in Bohol.

The Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta), which is endemic to the forests of Bohol and extremely territorial, is being threatened to extinction by poachers, hunters and even wild predatory animals.

As conservationists struggle to protect the shy, cuddly little creatures that have been around for 45 million years, a booming local tourism industry has been unkind to its lot.

For almost a decade now, business establishments thriving along Bohol’s tourism corridor have opened up tarsier viewing spots as an added attraction to the island’s world-renowned tourist destinations—the Chocolate Hills, ecotourism adventure parks, beach resorts and the Loboc River cruise.

Snatched from the wild, the tarsiers are kept in cages for easy tourist viewing.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regulates businesses in possession of tarsiers since the animals were classified as threatened species.

Permits

“[But] DENR permits, such as the Certificate of Wildlife Registration (CWR), are issued to those holding tarsiers in captivity without going through a stringent process of verification,” says lawyer Raul Barbarona of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (Elac).

A person or entity can operate a tarsier viewing business even without complying with guidelines contained in the CWR, such as proof of financial and technical capability and the presence of a facility to maintain the wildlife.

At least nine business establishments have been allowed by the DENR to possess tarsiers, mostly in the town of Loboc.

Tarsiers are nocturnal animals and should not be disturbed during daytime. The tarsier has one of the slowest fetal growth rates among mammals, taking six months to reach a birth weight of 23 grams.

Based on scientific studies, the primates commit suicide in captivity due to trauma from stress caused by human touching and loud noise.

Tarsier behavior and activities have been filmed by international documentary networks, such as National Geographic Channel and British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC)—proofs that the animal has become one of the country’s signature tourism mascots.

Carlito Pizarras, field supervisor of the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc. (PTFI), recalled that in the 1960s, there were so many tarsiers that he could easily spot a handful by simply looking around.

As a young boy, Pizarras used to catch tarsiers for his father, a taxidermist. They stuffed tarsiers and sold them to tourists. Demand for tarsiers grew among collectors and even scientists who used them for experiments.

For his skill in catching tarsiers, Pizarras became popular in his hometown of Corella. But his lifelong relationship with the tiny creatures earned him the moniker “Tarsier Man.”

He estimates the current number of tarsiers at 1,000.

Concerned with the dwindling figure, Carlito started working for tarsier protection. He collaborated with the PTFI, a nonstock, nonprofit organization, which put up an 8-hectare tarsier sanctuary in Corella.

With the help of the DENR, the PTFI center slowly expanded to cover 167 ha in the three municipalities of Corella, Sikatuna and Loboc.

Display ban

In February last year, the provincial board passed an ordinance prohibiting the possession of tarsiers for commercial use. The law mandated that all individuals and entities holding the tarsiers in captivity should turn these over to the PTFI sanctuary.

It was a landmark legislation that received praises from international wildlife charity group Born Free Foundation of the United Kingdom.

Yet, for almost a year now, business operators continue to display the animals in clear violation of the ordinance. They merely obtained wildlife registration permits from the DENR.

Government inaction on the commercial display of the tarsiers has caught public attention repeatedly.

Barbarona is urging the DENR to review its wildlife permits. “Since the issuance of the permits is legally binding on the part of the permittees, there should be a legal process for its revocation based on documented violations,” he says.

The environmental lawyer maintains that the DENR should check whether establishments holding tarsiers captive are observing the guidelines contained in the permits, such as technical capabilities.

Insensitive tourists

He cited one instance when a Cebu-based tour guide allowed his guests to poke and force-feed the tarsiers in one establishment in Loboc. One tourist caught it on video and uploaded in YouTube, generating hundreds of hits in a matter of days.

As a result of the online report, Bohol’s tourism industry suffered a big blow.

Barbarona received other reports that tourists at tarsier viewing sites in Loboc, despite warning signs, insisted on holding the primates and even used camera flashes for close-up souvenir shots with them.

Instead of correcting and monitoring these incidents, the DENR “seems to be paying no attention to this unrestrained abuse,” Barbarona said.

For his part, provincial board member Alfonso Damalerio II, principal author of the tarsier ordinance, called anew for the seizure of all commercially held tarsiers and turn them over to the PTFI.

Damalerio noted that the law had remained inutile as the provincial executive department had yet to issue its implementing rules and regulations.

Loboc municipal officials are against the closure of the tarsier viewing sites, saying these draw more tourists and offered an added attraction of the river cruise.

But the tarsier sanctuary is open to guests and tourists who are allowed to view the animals in their natural habitat with trained forest guides.

Groups ask Yap to quit Cabinet, House run, face plunder rap

By Kit Bagaipo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:21:00 01/09/2010

Graft & Corruption, Government, Agriculture, Protest, Eleksyon 2010, Elections

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines—Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap was told by militant groups on Saturday to resign from his Cabinet post and abandon his bid for a Congress seat in Bohol following the plunder case filed against him.

The group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party said Yap should resign from the Department of Agriculture and quit from running as candidate in the third district of Bohol because of the plunder case filed against him and 14 others over the purchase of P455 million in ice-making machines that were allegedly overpriced.

Yap should “exercise political delicadeza and instead focus on his defense against the plunder complaint and other criminal and administrative charges filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap and Anakpawis secretary general Cherry Clemente said in a joint statement.

“If we are in his shoes we will leave the agriculture portfolio and drop the dream of becoming a lawmaker,” their joint statement said.

Last week, leaders of Pamalakaya and Anakpawis Representatives Rafael Mariano and Joel Maglunsod led the filing of a plunder complaint against President Macapagal-Arroyo, Yap and 13 others for the purchase of 98 ice-making machines which they claimed were overpriced by P2.3 million per unit.

Hicap and Clemente asked Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to immediately place Yap and officials of the National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor) under preventive suspension while the Office of the Ombudsman is evaluating the complaint.

Nabcor said all transactions in the purchase of ice-making machines were transparent and above board.

Nabcor spokesperson Kathyrin Pioquinto said the accusations were “without basis, far from the truth and perjurious.”

Pioquinto also said Yap had nothing to do with the process although Nabcor is a government-owned and -controlled corporation attached to the DA.

“Yap is neither an officer nor a director of Nabcor,” Pioquinto said.

However, the militant groups said “the COA findings reveal the exact opposite.”

The militant groups said DA, through Nabcor, awarded a government contract to a lone bidder—the Integrated Refrigeration System and Services (IRSS)—in September 2009 for ice-making units at P4,650,000 per unit, or about P2.3 million higher compared to prevailing industry prices for the ice-making machines.

The government, the complainants said, can obtain 98 units of ice-making machines for P225 million to P230 million, or half of the what the DA spent for them.