By Kit Bagaipo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TAGBILARAN CITY—AN ALLIANCE OF fishermen expressed bewilderment over the delay in the Commission on Elections’ action on the disqualification case it filed against former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, who is running unopposed for congressman in Bohol’s third district.
The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), in the case it filed at the Comelec, said Yap was not qualified to represent Bohol’s third district because he does not reside there.
Pamalakaya said Yap continues to reside in Ortigas, Pasig City, and has never abandoned it as his domicile.
Election requirement
Election laws require candidates for congressmen to be residents of the district they want to represent for at least a year before the elections.
The group said Yap’s case was similar to that of actor Richard Gomez, who was declared by the Comelec’s Second Division not qualified to run for representative in Leyte for not being a resident there.
Pamalakaya said the Comelec has yet to tackle the case against Yap.
“We are puzzled by this development. The disqualification case we filed last March 9 should have been resolved in the soonest possible time or at least one week after we filed the disqualification case against Secretary Yap,” Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap said in a statement sent to the Inquirer.
Untouchable?
“Is Mr. Yap really untouchable according to political circles in and out of Comelec?” Hicap said.
At least 40 members of Pamalakaya and party-list group Anakpawis trooped to the Comelec national office on Thursday to ask Melo and the Comelec commissioners to tackle immediately the disqualification case against Yap.
The group filed a manifestation and motion urging the poll body to set the formal hearing for the disqualification case.
On March 9, the group also filed additional pieces of information before the Comelec to strengthen the disqualification case that the farmers filed against Yap.
The additional pieces of evidence include sworn statements signed by three officials of Barangay Buenavista in Loboc town disputing Yap’s claim that he was a resident of the far-flung barangay as he declared in his certificate of candidacy.
House on rough road
The supplemental information, which carried the signatures of former Barangay Buenavista secretary Corbino Cuhit, incumbent barangay councilor Basilio Balog and resident Mateo Ratonel, brother of incumbent barangay councilor Boy Ratonel, maintained that Yap has never been a resident of the barangay and that he just arrived in Buenavista at the start of the election season.
The three said the house and the address referred to by Yap as his official domicile in Buenavista, Loboc, was located in an area that was not passable by any motorized vehicle, except motorcycles, due to its rough roads and mountainous curves.
Pamalakaya maintained that Yap could not even speak the language of Boholanos. The group also said the former agriculture secretary and his family continue to stay in Metro Manila and that, in the concept of domicile under election laws, is at Alexandra Residence in Pasig City.
“His visits in Bohol are infrequent, short and transient,” Pamalakaya said.
Pamalakaya also cited the cases they filed against Yap in connection with the P455 million overpriced ice-making machines and the P7.14 billion in agriculture funds cited by the Commission on Audit in its 2008 report as missing, diverted or misspent.
“We filed this case not to spoil the political ambition of Secretary Yap. We filed this case because we want truth and justice to prevail over the narrow interest of the new breed of traditional and corrupt politicians,” the fisherman’s group added.
Showing posts with label Eleksyon 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eleksyon 2010. Show all posts
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
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.
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.
Groups ask Yap to quit Cabinet, House run, face plunder rap
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.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Carmen mayoralty race takes ugly turn
The rivalry between two mayoralty candidates in Carmen deepens as both camps threw accusations that have encroached into their personal lives.
Reelectionist Mayor Manuel Molina and his challenger Conchita Toribio both made it big in the nation’s capital by establishing their own businesses, but later wanting to go back to their roots and serve the constituents of Carmen.
Mayor Molina yesterday challenged his election opponent to answer the issues concerning her “bigamous marriage” instead of launching an attack against his company.
According to Molina, Toribio should answer directly and explain to the people of said town her true marital status, bigamous marriage and her material representation on her Certificate of Candidacy (CoC), instead of attacking him and his own marital status.
But Toribio retorted saying her life is an open book. “I have nothing to hide and be ashamed of, be it regarding my marriage or my dealings in business,” Toribio told the Chronicle.
In his petition for disqualification filed at the Comelec Manila against Toribio, the mayor alleged that his rival is hiding under the family name of her second husband to evade arrest as she has three pending warrants of arrest resulting from cases of estafa and violations of the anti-bouncing check law.
Last week, the lady mayoralty aspirant bared Molina’s “first wife” is ready to “bare all” during the campaign period to refute the incumbent mayor’s claims that he has annulled his marriage with his first wife.
Toribio disclosed some former employees in Molina’s company will be suing the mayor after they found out that their monthly deductions for SSS contributions were never remitted.
The mayor however said, Toribio “exaggerated” the SSS contribution issue against his company.
“It is absolutely not true that employees are due to file a case against me,” Molina asserted.
What took place, he said, “was only some sort of a miscommunication between my company and the personnel of the SSS with respect to the correct data of employees”.
Molina explained that at present, the problem had already been resolved and the SSS contribution is already paid and accepted by the SSS.
According to Molina, the marriage of Toribio with Zosimo G. Ordoñez on May 14, 1978 is not null and void.
In her explanation, Toribio said that such marriage is null and void per se because she was only 17 years of age at the time.
“Toribio is lying to the people because at 17, in the year 1978 at the time of her marriage with Ordoñez, she was legally allowed under the New Civil Code to enter into marriage” Molina said.
It is only in 1988 upon the effectivity of the Family Code that the marriageable age was changed to 18, he added.
Consequently, Molina argued, the second marriage of Toribio with FRANCISCO S. DELOS REYES on January 8, 2002 without first obtaining a court order declaring her first marriage with Ordoñez null and void, is bigamous.
“Toribio is not only criminally liable for bigamy but also for Falsification of Public Document for having declared as single when she applied for marriage license to enter into marriage with FRANCISCO S. DELOS REYES on January 8, 2002 in San Juan City, “Molina added. “Bigamy and Falsification of Public Document are public crimes upon which anybody can file complaints against Toribio not necessarily her husband Ordoñez,” Molina warned.
Molina said, he is not intimidated by the threat of Toribio that his first wife will campaign against him in his bid for reelection for an alleged bigamy. That issue had been known already when he ran for the first time as Mayor of Carmen in 2007, he said.
“Before entering into my second marriage with my present wife, I had obtained a declaration of nullity of my first marriage.” Molina said.
“The papers are with my wife and anyone may request for a photocopy,” the mayor dared.
POLITICAL HARASSMENT
Called to comment on Molina’s statement, Toribio said the mayor’s camp is resorting to “political harassment” after she got a good following during her consultations in the barangays.
“Molina sees that his reelection bid is seriously threatened. I feel sorry for him that he is more interested in my past life when I am more interested in serving the people of Carmen,” she said.
Supporting her allegations regarding former employees of the mayor who will be filing a case for non remittance of their SSS contributions, Toribio said they will surface in due time.
“With regards my first marriage, I consider it a premature marriage. If there are legal questions, my lawyer can handle that,” she added.
On the issue of several pending cases of estafa and violations of the bouncing check law against her, Toribio said these were already settled.
“I would not have this freedom to move around, presenting myself as a mayoralty candidate if warrants for my arrest are out,” she said.
Toribio disclosed that last week, two people were murdered in Carmen and until now, the case remains unsolved.
While police and military assigned in the town are on a manhunt, Toribio said, “The mayor is out of town for several days already. In fact, he is not in Bohol”.
Reelectionist Mayor Manuel Molina and his challenger Conchita Toribio both made it big in the nation’s capital by establishing their own businesses, but later wanting to go back to their roots and serve the constituents of Carmen.
Mayor Molina yesterday challenged his election opponent to answer the issues concerning her “bigamous marriage” instead of launching an attack against his company.
According to Molina, Toribio should answer directly and explain to the people of said town her true marital status, bigamous marriage and her material representation on her Certificate of Candidacy (CoC), instead of attacking him and his own marital status.
But Toribio retorted saying her life is an open book. “I have nothing to hide and be ashamed of, be it regarding my marriage or my dealings in business,” Toribio told the Chronicle.
In his petition for disqualification filed at the Comelec Manila against Toribio, the mayor alleged that his rival is hiding under the family name of her second husband to evade arrest as she has three pending warrants of arrest resulting from cases of estafa and violations of the anti-bouncing check law.
Last week, the lady mayoralty aspirant bared Molina’s “first wife” is ready to “bare all” during the campaign period to refute the incumbent mayor’s claims that he has annulled his marriage with his first wife.
Toribio disclosed some former employees in Molina’s company will be suing the mayor after they found out that their monthly deductions for SSS contributions were never remitted.
The mayor however said, Toribio “exaggerated” the SSS contribution issue against his company.
“It is absolutely not true that employees are due to file a case against me,” Molina asserted.
What took place, he said, “was only some sort of a miscommunication between my company and the personnel of the SSS with respect to the correct data of employees”.
Molina explained that at present, the problem had already been resolved and the SSS contribution is already paid and accepted by the SSS.
According to Molina, the marriage of Toribio with Zosimo G. Ordoñez on May 14, 1978 is not null and void.
In her explanation, Toribio said that such marriage is null and void per se because she was only 17 years of age at the time.
“Toribio is lying to the people because at 17, in the year 1978 at the time of her marriage with Ordoñez, she was legally allowed under the New Civil Code to enter into marriage” Molina said.
It is only in 1988 upon the effectivity of the Family Code that the marriageable age was changed to 18, he added.
Consequently, Molina argued, the second marriage of Toribio with FRANCISCO S. DELOS REYES on January 8, 2002 without first obtaining a court order declaring her first marriage with Ordoñez null and void, is bigamous.
“Toribio is not only criminally liable for bigamy but also for Falsification of Public Document for having declared as single when she applied for marriage license to enter into marriage with FRANCISCO S. DELOS REYES on January 8, 2002 in San Juan City, “Molina added. “Bigamy and Falsification of Public Document are public crimes upon which anybody can file complaints against Toribio not necessarily her husband Ordoñez,” Molina warned.
Molina said, he is not intimidated by the threat of Toribio that his first wife will campaign against him in his bid for reelection for an alleged bigamy. That issue had been known already when he ran for the first time as Mayor of Carmen in 2007, he said.
“Before entering into my second marriage with my present wife, I had obtained a declaration of nullity of my first marriage.” Molina said.
“The papers are with my wife and anyone may request for a photocopy,” the mayor dared.
POLITICAL HARASSMENT
Called to comment on Molina’s statement, Toribio said the mayor’s camp is resorting to “political harassment” after she got a good following during her consultations in the barangays.
“Molina sees that his reelection bid is seriously threatened. I feel sorry for him that he is more interested in my past life when I am more interested in serving the people of Carmen,” she said.
Supporting her allegations regarding former employees of the mayor who will be filing a case for non remittance of their SSS contributions, Toribio said they will surface in due time.
“With regards my first marriage, I consider it a premature marriage. If there are legal questions, my lawyer can handle that,” she added.
On the issue of several pending cases of estafa and violations of the bouncing check law against her, Toribio said these were already settled.
“I would not have this freedom to move around, presenting myself as a mayoralty candidate if warrants for my arrest are out,” she said.
Toribio disclosed that last week, two people were murdered in Carmen and until now, the case remains unsolved.
While police and military assigned in the town are on a manhunt, Toribio said, “The mayor is out of town for several days already. In fact, he is not in Bohol”.
LP: “Still anyone’s ballgame”
The Liberal Party (LP) in the province remains confident that they can capture the hearts of voters when the campaign period starts officially.
Perceived as a “third force” and weaker in terms of political infrastructure and machinery compared to the leading Lakas-Kampi-CMD and the other dominant opposition Nacionalista Party (NP), Liberals in the province led by gubernatorial bet actor Cesar Montano is looking at a big surge in the coming months.
“Montano may be trailing in polls against two rivals, Rep. Edgar Chatto (Lakas) and Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera, but other independent surveys also shows him (Montano) posting a lead,” said former schools division superintendent Dr. Elpidio Jala, LP candidate for vice governor.
“It’s still anybody’s ballgame at this stage as we still have over two months before the start of the campaign,” Jala said.
In the campaign trail, Jala said Montano is expected to lure the young voters seeking a role model instead of trapos traditional politicians,” he said.
Jala, also relying on his ties with public school teachers, said the power struggle within Lakas is crucial for LP and NP candidates since some administration party bets may no longer toe the party line due to infighting among its members.
Although five are running for governor, Chatto, Herrera and Montano have a strong showing in radio surveys.
Jala said, he and Montano remains optimistic of their chances even with only 14 mayoral candidates out of 47 towns and Tagbilaran City.
Most of young voters, according to Jala, are already vigilant and will eventually make up their minds to support candidates who are not tainted with dirty politics.
“We hope to capture the youth votes. Our opponents may be endorsed by majority of incumbent mayors, but they are not the ones who can deliver the votes,” Jala continued.
While he may belong to the LP, Jala has the support of his brother and Lakas stalwart, former congressman Eladio Jala who is now a commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Meanwhile, incumbent third district solon, Rep. Adam Relson Jala was also heard in an interview over Station dyRD that he will be supporting his uncle, as any family member would do.
“Adam’s support would be a big boost and he could still persuade voters especially in the third district being the incumbent congressman,” Jala said.
Montano is a natural crowd drawer, according to Jala, being a popular movie actor and many young people would want to relate with him.
Perceived as a “third force” and weaker in terms of political infrastructure and machinery compared to the leading Lakas-Kampi-CMD and the other dominant opposition Nacionalista Party (NP), Liberals in the province led by gubernatorial bet actor Cesar Montano is looking at a big surge in the coming months.
“Montano may be trailing in polls against two rivals, Rep. Edgar Chatto (Lakas) and Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera, but other independent surveys also shows him (Montano) posting a lead,” said former schools division superintendent Dr. Elpidio Jala, LP candidate for vice governor.
“It’s still anybody’s ballgame at this stage as we still have over two months before the start of the campaign,” Jala said.
In the campaign trail, Jala said Montano is expected to lure the young voters seeking a role model instead of trapos traditional politicians,” he said.
Jala, also relying on his ties with public school teachers, said the power struggle within Lakas is crucial for LP and NP candidates since some administration party bets may no longer toe the party line due to infighting among its members.
Although five are running for governor, Chatto, Herrera and Montano have a strong showing in radio surveys.
Jala said, he and Montano remains optimistic of their chances even with only 14 mayoral candidates out of 47 towns and Tagbilaran City.
Most of young voters, according to Jala, are already vigilant and will eventually make up their minds to support candidates who are not tainted with dirty politics.
“We hope to capture the youth votes. Our opponents may be endorsed by majority of incumbent mayors, but they are not the ones who can deliver the votes,” Jala continued.
While he may belong to the LP, Jala has the support of his brother and Lakas stalwart, former congressman Eladio Jala who is now a commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Meanwhile, incumbent third district solon, Rep. Adam Relson Jala was also heard in an interview over Station dyRD that he will be supporting his uncle, as any family member would do.
“Adam’s support would be a big boost and he could still persuade voters especially in the third district being the incumbent congressman,” Jala said.
Montano is a natural crowd drawer, according to Jala, being a popular movie actor and many young people would want to relate with him.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Actor Montano declines Arroyo appointment to run for Bohol gov
By Kit Bagaipo
Inquirer Visayas
TAGBILARAN CITY -- Actor-director Cesar Montano announced on Tuesday that he declined the position of film czar so that he could focus on his bid to run for governor in Bohol in the 2010 elections.
Montano has long been rumored to be eyeing the province’s top position but has not confirmed his political plans until Tuesday.
Montano, whose real name is Cesar Manhilot and a registered voter in the town of Baclayon, said he and his family felt honored by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s appointment of him as Presidential Special Envoy for Film and Digital Cinema.
“I am grateful … but I regret to say I could not accept it since this will sidetrack my preparations for a gubernatorial bid in May 2010,” Montano said in a telephone interview aired on radio station dyRD Tagbilaran.
Montano, who initiated the interview, said he wanted to bring in “change in Bohol politics,” which he said was being “used by politicians for business interests.”
The actor-director disclosed that he has the support of his family. Wife and actress Sunshine Cruz is actively involved in promoting tourism in this island-province.
Cruz, who talked briefly during the interview, said she fully supported her husband’s political plans.
Montano’s appointment, which was signed by Ms Arroyo on May 19, would have accorded Montano diplomatic status.
When asked if he would seek the support of Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, Montano only said that he did not “need the blessings” of the governor.
Inquirer Visayas
TAGBILARAN CITY -- Actor-director Cesar Montano announced on Tuesday that he declined the position of film czar so that he could focus on his bid to run for governor in Bohol in the 2010 elections.
Montano has long been rumored to be eyeing the province’s top position but has not confirmed his political plans until Tuesday.
Montano, whose real name is Cesar Manhilot and a registered voter in the town of Baclayon, said he and his family felt honored by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s appointment of him as Presidential Special Envoy for Film and Digital Cinema.
“I am grateful … but I regret to say I could not accept it since this will sidetrack my preparations for a gubernatorial bid in May 2010,” Montano said in a telephone interview aired on radio station dyRD Tagbilaran.
Montano, who initiated the interview, said he wanted to bring in “change in Bohol politics,” which he said was being “used by politicians for business interests.”
The actor-director disclosed that he has the support of his family. Wife and actress Sunshine Cruz is actively involved in promoting tourism in this island-province.
Cruz, who talked briefly during the interview, said she fully supported her husband’s political plans.
Montano’s appointment, which was signed by Ms Arroyo on May 19, would have accorded Montano diplomatic status.
When asked if he would seek the support of Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, Montano only said that he did not “need the blessings” of the governor.
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