Piñol gives anti-corruption sample at DA, to relieve entire BPI quarantine staff in Davao down to janitor over alleged extortion to small banana exporters

Acting on complaints that small exporters of Cavendish banana have been allegedly milked of P8,000 per shipping container or P40,000 per transaction by several Bureau of Plant Industry quarantine officials for years now, Dept. of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has relieved a quarantine officer in Davao City.

The relieved officer was tagged that his office has been “demanding grease money from exporters of Cavendish banana.”

 

 

The secretary bared this in his post on Facebook Sunday morning.

“After I received complaints from small exporters of Cavendish banana that the BPI Quarantine Officer in Sasa Port, Andres Alemania, and some of his people were demanding “fees” for every container van, I immediately directed BPI Acting Director Vivencio Mamaril to issue a relief order,” Piñol said.

He vowed that on Monday, July 18, he would issue another directive to Director Mamaril “to relieve the whole BPI Quarantine Service staff in Sasa Port down to the janitor and replace them with a fresh group of Quarantine Officers.”

He added: “There will be due process. This week, I will dispatch graft investigators belonging to a new unit I organized in the Department of Agriculture to proceed to the Sasa Port in Davao City to validate the charges.”

“They will interview the over 200 Cavendish banana exporters who have reportedly been paying the “special fees” to the BPI Quarantine Office for so many years now,” he said. “The going rate, according to sources I talked with is P8,000 per container or P40,000 per exporter per transaction.”

There are over 200 small banana exporters in Davao Region, besides the big players like Dole Philippines, Sumifru, Tadeco, Uni-Frutti and others.

“I can just imagine how much these people, granting that the charges are true, have been raking in all these years,” he said.

“Lifestyle check will also be conducted on the said officials and if the charges are validated, I will officially ask the Office of the Ombudsman to start an official investigation and recommend the filing of graft charges,” Piñol also said on his Facebook.

With a concluding hashtag #Changeishere!, Piñol warned: “President Duterte’s vow to rid government of corrupt officials is not just cheap talk. It will be done. Learn, adapt, adjust or get fired!” (Rural Urban News copy/Cha Monforte)

Duterte bidding farewell to euphoric City Hall employees: “I believe in one God, Allah”

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte bade farewell to Davao City Hall officials and employees during their flag-raising ceremony Monday morning , stressing at the last part of his speech that he is a believer of “one God.

He said he is not more a believer on saints whom he reckoned that the Catholic Church has about 5,000 saints.

In jest he said, he does not know really who are saints and their lives, and for these it would be hard for him to believe on them.

“I believe on one God, Allah period. Only one God ako,” he said.

It was Duterte’s last appearance as a mayor of the city that he has long served since 1988 election after election where he never lost.

On the same occasion, he also expressed anew his aberration to drugs and corruption and his fear that narco politics would firmly take control of the country even as he warned again druglords and criminals including the colonos who despite being in prison are still doing their criminal activities.

“I’m harsh to the criminals and I’m strict to the the wrong doers. I’ll protect especially those who are hopeless, helpless and defenseless,” Duterte added.

In his last act of giving bonanza, he ordered the city treasurer’s office to release P10,000 education assistance for the City Hall employees.

He thanked his fellow government workers, saying that he appreciated so much for their fidelity, trust and brotherly love to him since he was first elected into public office in 1988.

“Without the backing of the military and the police and kayo, I would not have succeeded,” he said, thanking the visibly elated and euphoric employees trooping on the footsteps of the main City Hall building that leads to the mayor’s office.

He also gave plaques of commendation to outgoing City Administrator lawyer Melchor Quitain and his longtime executive assistant Christopher “Bong” Go. Both will go with Duterte in Malacanang.

The outgoing mayor-President-elect will take his oath of office in Malacanang noon of June 30.

His daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio would also assume as city mayor on the same day. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

Samal Island oppositors posit 4 good reasons vs. Marina’s plan stopping nighttime navigation of lanchas, and you should know why

Tens of thousands of Samal Island residents are strongly opposing Marina’s plan to stop the nighttime navigation of small wooden hulled boats (lanchas) sailing as passenger vessels between Davao City and the island.

Lanchas have been sailing back and forth the protected sea waters of Davao Gulf since time immemorial and Marina’s plan would finally restrict the lanchas in the name of safety and modernization.

But the plan would affect at least 5,000 nighttime-cruising Samal residents studying and working in Davao City.

Jojo Tejano, leader of Samal Watch group, said that their group’s four good reasons make up their opposition reasonable and justified against Marina’s plan of stopping the navigation of lanchas until 6:00 P.M. only effective July 7.

“First, the ferry boat is not convenient compared to the lancha. Taking the ferry boat is very convenient for those with vehicles but extremely inconvenient to us who are simply passengers,” he said.

“Often there are very long lines during rush hours going up to the passengers’ area through a very stiff staircase, and it has limited seats while we inhale hazardous fumes of airconditioned vehicles that are not put off while on board the ferry boat,” he said.

“Second, the ferry boat is not safer. Boarding the ferry boat along with rushing vehicles puts us in danger of being run over or bumped especially our children and elderly. Going up to passengers area through a very stiff staircase puts everyone in danger of falling especially children, mothers carrying babies and the elderly,” Tejano added.

For this, he continued: ” ferry boat has no enough life jackets. Being steel hulled does not make the ferry boats safer. On the other hand, it will just directly sink along with the passengers God forbid in case it meets our feared sea tragedy. Whereas, our very own lanchas have enough life jackets and will simply float in case it capsized. “

“Third, taking the lancha is cheaper. Taking the ferry boats will mean additional expense of P20 from faraway Caliclic wharf to our homes while the lanchas directly dock at Babak wharf”.

“Fourth, lancha is faster. Taking the ferry boats will cause a delay of at least two hours before reaching our homes.”

The Samal Watch oppositors also voiced disgust that “wooden hulled boats catering to tourists are exempted from it when they are more exposed to the dangers of big waves when they tour around Samal island.”

The oppositors also said that the lanchas are more closely monitored by the Philippine Coast Guard while the ferry boats are not. “Marina records itself shows that there has never been any sea tragedy involving our lanchas.”

Marina conducted a public hearing on the issue last June 21 but the oppositors claimed that they were not fully consulted and informed about it.

Marina central office in Manila had issued a memorandum circular for the gradual phase-out of wooden hauled boats in 2003 but the agency is back this time vowing to finally implement it .

“Many Samalenyos will be affected by this classic imperiaistic order of your Marina’s central office. There are more or less 5,000 of us mostly students and daily wage workers who go to Davao City and come home daily,” Tejano relayed the group’s position.

“This add up to the woes of our fisherfolk families who were forced to give up fishing and just find other means of living in the mainland after they were demolished and forcibly relocated away from the shores to give way to beach resort operators and high end subdivisions who now control almost every inch of our beachlines,” he said. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

Duterte warns mayors who are into drugs

Incoming President Rodrigo Duterte warned Tuesday mayors who are into drugs in his yet another strong statement against illegal drugs before his inauguration on June 30.

Speaking before businessmen in Duterte-called workshop in Davao City, the President-elect warned that “seven years from now the country will have narco politics” at the rate the drug menace continues unabated victimizing the youths.

“Ok lang sana kung matanda na ang nabiktima,” Duterte said, recalling what he personally saw at a gasoline station in Pasay of a young boy “na parang tulog na gising (half awake).”

“You have crossed the red light, and I’m warning you,” he added, visibly directing this to the mayors who are into drugs, druglords and dealers and corrupt policemen “including the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation).”

Duterte said that these mayors had received from Binay and goodies from the Liberal during the last election and “they won because of drug money that comes very easy.”

“I will not allow it to happen, wawarningan ko talaga kayo pati itong police na tinamaan at ang NBI,” he said, cutting his statement on what he would do if he meets involved mayors in one corner.

Duterte expressed positive note that as soon as he commented on the Pasay rave party incident for the police to prepare for a “massive revamp”, on the next days many drug-involved had been arrested and even killed.

“Baka pinapatay ang bata nila para hindi na pumiyait,” he said,offering a scenario of the silencing of drug cohorts so they could not sing their syndicate’s secrets.

Duterte said that when he assumes office he would form one elite company of policemen with special assignment to crackdown on the drug menace, and “if they kill upon my orders, they would be mine.”

He added he would not follow the the orders of Commission of Human Rights Chairman Chito Gascon.

The incoming president earlier raised a P5 million bounty for those who could kill a top drug dealer, even as incoming PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa warned for a scorched-earth war against drug in response to the report that top druglords operating inside Bilibid prison raised a P50 million kill price each for Duterte and Dela Rosa.

The two-day consultative workshop wrapped up yesterday, June 21 at SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang, Davao City.

It was called by the president-elect to draw out the his administration’s 10-Point Socioeconomic Agenda.

It was attended by the country’s top businessmen, captains of industries, and top economic stakeholders. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

—

pic credit: from FB of photojournalist Rene Arias

Duterte: “All mining companies have to stop mining in Mindanao”

In what is seen as a draconian measure to stop the further destruction of Mindanao’s mineralized land, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday night that “all mining companies have to stop” operations in Mindanao.

“Mining people must shape up… Tingnan ninyo and Surigao puro butas na. You have to stop spoiling the land, you’re destroying Mindanao,” he said in his talk during his “One Love, One Nation” thanksgiving party attended by more than 200,000 supporters.

The grand party was held at the sprawling grounds of the inland resort Davao Crocodile Park at Maa district in Davao City.

He said that the policy of destroying the land of Mindanao and dislocating its people including the Moro people “has to change.”

For him, he added, Mindanao’s  mineral resources have first to be enjoyed by people from Mindanao like by the “coops of Filipinos digging out there, and I’ll just give instructions how not to spoil the land, una muna ang taga Mindanao.”

He said earlier in his speech that he is scouting one who can be the secretary of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources after he turned down the wish of his long-time administrator who is now the Mayor of Maribojoc, Bohol and his appointed Secretary to the Cabinet Jun Evasco.

He said he was poised at first to appoint Evasco as his DENR secretary.

“There’s a big problem of mining companies. They’re destroying our country. You have to force the military and the police to enforce,” he said obviously referring  to the mining laws that are more often not enforced.

Duterte explained that Evasco was once a New People Army rebel who surrendered to him when he became the city vice mayor, contending “nobody would believe” on Evasco when he would call the military and the police for law enforcement.

The incoming President, apparently bullish  on the rich mineral resources of Mindanao, appears to be veering away from the regime of big mining companies and favoring to small-to-medium scale mining that flourished  in the island since the gold rush days of Mt. Diwalwal in the 80s.

Through more than three decades,  small miners in Mindanao turbulently evolved their sharing and organizational scheme into coop-like corpo system.

During the last campaign period, involvement of Mar Roxas to big mining became one of the big issues.

Roxas was hit of the issue of being supported by billionaire businessman Eric Gutierrez, CEO of SR Metals, Inc., a controversial mining firm which was subjected to a Senate investigation for the allegedly illegal shipment of tens of million tons of nickel ores from Agusan del Norte amounting to P28 billion.

Roxas and other Liberal Party national candidates were said to be using the private Cessna planes owned by Gutierrez.

The LP camp tagged that Duterte was just making “baseless controversy” adding that they only leased the planes and that Roxas and other involved LP stalwarts were not engaged into “illegal mining practice”.

One columnist of national newspaper also dug up that in Roxas’ 2012 SALN, he showed to have personal interest in the mining sector. His stockholdings, amounting to ₱120 million, include shares in seven big mining companies, namely: Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company, Manila Mining Corporation, Philex Mining Corporation, Marinduque Mining and Industrial Corporation, Mindanao Mother Lake Mines, Samar Mining Company, Western Minolco Corporation. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

—

pic credit: ABS-CBN News Channel

Duterte: I refused Lucio Tan’s campaign contribution

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte spoke during his “One Love, One Nation” thanksgiving party Saturday night in Davao City that tycoon Lucio Tan offered a campaign contribution during the last campaign period but he refused to receive it.

Duterte recalled that he first had scarce campaign donors as “they thought I could not really make it.”

 

But when his poll survey ratings rose to 18 to 21 percent many had offered to give “but I did not also receive them all like from one of the owners of airplanes,” he added.

He then did name Tan, majority owner of the Philippine Airlines, saying that there are only two Filipinos in the country having stake in commercial airline business.

“I never received it,” Duterte said, referring to Tan’s money even as he said that his campaign finance officers had then been receiving from many donors after his ratings soared up.

The incoming President did not bare to the mammoth crowd how much did Tan offer.

He also said he has yet no knowledge if Tan has been paying well to the government for his airline business like landing fees in airports that are owned by the government.

Out from those campaign donations received, which were not returned to the donors as returning them “might embarrass them”, Duterte said that the unspent contributions could yet be enough to be given as reward for 200 druglords of varying categories, “dead or alive”.

Duterte said anew and in jest that he would give P5-million reward for those who can have a top druglord dead, and P4.99 million only if the druglord is alive.

“P3-million reward if he is just a distributor, and P2.99 million only if he is alive,” he said, drawing a mix of applause and laughter from the partying crowd at grounds of Crocodile Park, a business farm resort owned by the Dizons in Maa district.

Duterte also spoke a dozen of priorities he would launch once he officially sit as President starting July 1, vowing change, “gobyerno nga way kurapsyon ug tarong” (corruption-free, right government).

Strong intermittent rains poured down after he spoke past 9:00 P.M. The party started 1 P.M. and got abruptly ended due to power outage after the new President left the park.

Police estimated more than 200,000 crowd attending the party as of late afternoon. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

Duterte takes out Dept. of Labor from communists, Bello to become DOLE Secretary

By Cha Monforte, Rural Urban News

Time is ticking on and incoming President Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday night that his Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment is Silvestre “Bebot” Bello III, taking out one of the four line departments he earlier offered to the communists to head under his administration.

Bello would also be a consultant of the peace process with the communist rebels, he said in an interview with a handful of reporters at his known watering hole in the city, the After Dark bar at Ecoland area.

Besides the labor department, Duterte earlier offered to the communists the departments of environment, social welfare and agrarian reform.

So far the aboveground, legal Left has only floated the name of Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Isagani Zarate, a lawyer, as its possible bet to become the secretary of Dept. of Natural Resources and Environment (DENR).

Both the legal and underground Left have not yet released their recommendees at press time, except saying they have interest on Duterte’s proposal of them leading the four agencies even as they pushed anew for the resumption of peace talks with guarded optimism on Duterte administration.

But there is yet one big question unanswered as to whether the armed Left and Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison would really come up their list of names to become the secretaries of agencies to finally join the Duterte’s government in what analysts said as a way toward establishing a coalition government.

As they bide time since Monday when Duterte bared his offer to them, they are losing already one of the promised agencies.

Duterte, responding to the questions of reporters, enumerated again the people who would be the secretaries and chiefs of departments and important government offices.

It is not yet known if Duterte would have new post to offer to the communists as a substitute to the DOLE secretaryship. as the reporters failed to shoot the question on the four agencies offered to the communists.

Duterte enumerated anew his Secretaries for various posts: Arthur Tugade for the Dept. of Transportation and Communications, Perfecto Yasay Jr. for the Dept. of Foreign Affairs for one year in wait for Senator Peter Cayetano, Carlos Dominguez III for the Dept. of Finance, Alfonso Cusi for Dept. of Energy, Mark Villar for the Dept. of Public Works and Highways, retired General Hermogenes Esperon as the National Security Adviser, and Jesus Dureza as the government head for the peace process in Mindanao and the one “who will handle Mindanao issues” since “kapa niya ang Moro (issues).”

He came with a new name- Ernesto “Ernie” Pernia as NEDA Chairman.

There would also be a government head for the peace process with the communist rebels whom Duterte will yet appoint but he should be “neither in the Left nor Right… someone in the middle.”

As to the secretary of the Dept. of National Defense, Duterte said he has a retired militaryman in mind but he is not yet divulging his name.

Duterte also said he has yet no names to head the Dept. of Education, Dept. of Science and Technology, BIR and PDEA.

He reiterated he would ask Congress to create the Dept. of OFW and another new agency he contemplated, the Dept. of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, which is just a bureau at present under the Dept. of Agriculture.

He also said that those who were asked earlier to join his Cabinet declined primarily due to the issue of pay in government, adding “they are not so rich, just well to do” yet earning already so good at their present endeavors.

Early in his casual press conference, the incoming President said he is not influenced by anybody nor by his political allies and all of his appointments are his and his alone.

As to the issue that his friend Pastor Apollo Quiboloy was feeling eased out for not being consulted on various appointments by him, he said people must realize that his “loyalty to (their) friendship ends when (his) loyalty to the people begins.”

Mid last week, the name of former Davao City police chief and one star PNP General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa emerged as Duterte’s appointee for the PNP chief post.

Others earlier reported were Salvador Medialdea as Executive Secretary, Salvador Panelo as Presidential Spokesperson, Vitaliano Aguirre II as Justice Secretary, Manuel Pinol as Dept. of Agriculture Secretary, Jose Calida as Solicitor General, Andrea Domingo as PAGCOR chief, and Michael Dino as the Presidential Assistant for Visayas.

So it would not be the earlier reported: Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. as DND Secretary and Peter Laurel as DepEd Secretary. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

—

info source from video of http://davaobreakingnews.com

Roger Balanza of Davao Media Scandal

A reply to a bad story written by a rabid paid media hack who wants to demolish the person and reputation of the social media editor of this news site:

Here’s my reply to Balanza’s lies:

It’s only now that I read this, hehe, I’m no kinda onion-skinned mediaman who would libel a fellow mediaman when dark secrets are uncovered and exposed. Hehe, I just laughed at your sleepless nights due to my truthful reporting on your dark secrets, Roger. Name calling pa more hehe Roger! Shame on you paid media hack Roger! I got two screenshots to rebut on this long malicious piece, Mr. Senile Paid Media Hack. One screenshot shows your demand for P100,000 “talent fee” in trying to apply as demolition writer vs. Del Rosarios in this election, and with your atrocious price snubbed vis-a-vis your lack of credibility and repetitious adverbs, adjectives and same demolition ideas that always backfired at your so-called clients, besides your usual mangled English and editorial lapses due to your old age and senility, you jumped to the other side of the political fence to demolish me and tarnish my good reputation as an independent, investigative journalist with your evil intention that demolishing me would also demolish the good reputation of Vice Gov. Baby Suaybaguio, Jr. The other screenshot Roger shows your director, the naughty chief of Davao media mafia, honcho of mercenary broadcasters in this election in Davao del Norte, Jun Ledesma, also senile now like you, citing me as so excellent writer. Besides, if I’m no good writer, then why are you so mad at me like a rabid dog, Roger? Libel if you must Roger, and I will make a headline: “Fake multi-awarded paid media hack sues an excellent writer-blogger”. Roger, read my 2 screenshots on this link:https://ruralurbanews.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/roger-balanza-of-davao-media-scandal/ – CHA MONFORTE

—

But who is Roger Balanza?

SCREENSHOT 1: Roger Balanza’s Indecent Proposal:

Here is Balanza’s pic:

And who is Cha Monforte?

SCREENSHOT 2:

Haha!

Check it out on: https://cha4t.wordpress.com/about/

Duterte says he just uses foul language because he is fed up with paid media hacks who twist his statements; He punched and floored one Balanza before

Finally Mayor Rodrigo Duterte bared his detestation to paid media hacks especially writers who twist his statements.

He bared this when he spoke as the commencement speaker for Lyceum of the Philippines graduates Saturday at PICC Plenary Hall.

Take it from the mayor who had been a victim of black propaganda and truth twisting in his previous mayoral runs in Davao City where he has a rival.

Before the LPU graduates, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he does not have such a bad mouth in reality but he just uses foul language because he is fed up with paid media hacks especially writers who twist his statements.

“Hindi ako ganoon kabastos, pero sinasadya ko iyon because, you know, mabayaran sila, especially the writers, and there are a lot of them. They would really slant, and every statement I make they would slant. Sinasadya ko tuloy, talagang minumura ko sila,” he said.

In his speech that was almost profanity-free, Duterte took the chance to explain why he talks the way he does.

He said he is actually taking “the posture of a radical” when speaking in a brutally frank manner. This is to challenge the ruling class and the public officials who seem to only care for the elite.

“Sinasadya ko talaga iyang bunganga ko. I am testing the elite in this country because, historically, we are fundamentally a feudal country,” he said.

“I am testing the waters of radicalism. (I act) as if I am irreverent, (but) it’s not really true. I pray to God always. Baka patayin ako ng dalawang ito,” he said referring to rivals former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Then the mayor also took a swipe at paid media hacks in the capital.

Minutes before ending his speech, he recalled the hostage-taking incident in Davao City in 1989 involving an Australian missionary that became the subject of his controversial rape remark. Duterte could not stop himself and blurted out a curse word while describing the criminals who killed some of the hostages.

He then apologized for it, saying he put aside his usual vulgarity-laced speeches for that event “in deference to the academic institution.”

Duterte graduated from LPU with a Bachelor of Arts, major in Political Science, degree in 1968.

Meanwhile, a blocktime broadcaster in Davao City said that the mayor really knows by heart on story twisting by paid media hack journalists as Duterte had been a victim of this in few of his mayoral runs where he has rival before.

The broadcaster, who asked not to be identified, said that Duterte had been hit black and blue by “money making writers and journalists daw like Roger Balanza” during his previous mayoral runs versus ex-Mayor Ben de Guzman and versus ex-Speaker Boy Nograles.

Balanza for all his lies, fabricated  stories and truth twisting against Duterte, was punched, knocked out and floored by Duterte a few months after he won in his comeback mayoral bid against reelectionist De Guzman in 2001 polls.

The mayor got back at Balanza who portrayed Duterte as evil by using lies, half truths, distortions and twists out from Duterte’s statements during the 2001 electoral campaign period, recalled the broadcaster who was then a member of  De Guzman media team.

But the mayor is known to be forgiving, understanding and generous to mediamen in his city .  Duterte later forgave Balanza.

Davao City editors and mediamen have acknowledged the mayor to be a master publicist and public relations (PR) wizard himself. He obviously knows media handling, issue mapping and projection, that’s why whatever that comes out from mouth is made of stuff that could really spin wide and thick.

Mediamen supporting Duterte are only following him acting his media force multipliers. (Rural Urban News with much of mayor’s quotes and report from gmanetwork news)

—

Much of LPU story ad quotes from:

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/563784/news/nation/duterte-delivers-profanity-free-speech-vows-to-be-prim-and-proper-if-he-becomes-president#sthash.jZKF5Ufj.dpuf

MGA EMPLEYADO SA TAGUM CITY HALL NAG ALSA-BALOTAN NA: TAGUM CITY EXECS, WORKERS PACK UP, START TRANSFER TO THE NEW CITY HALL

2nd Update

MAYOR RELLON SAYS “WOW! IT’S A DREAM COME TRUE, IT’S TAGUMPAY!”

Officials and workers of the Tagum City government are currently packing up things in the 63-year-old City Hall in poblacion as, one by one, departments started last Feb. 8 to transfer to the almost P1-billion state-of –the-art new City Hall in Barangay Apokon.
“Wow! It’s a dream come true! It’s exciting, it’s fulfilling, it’s Tagumpay!,” enthused Mayor Allan Rellon when asked in an interview Friday night in his office on his say on the official date of transfer of the seat of the city government to the new City Hall on its inauguration on March 7.

 

The mayor intentioned the inauguration of the new City Hall to fall no less than on March 7, which is the 18th founding anniversary of the City Government since its conversion as city, and on that date the complete transfer of all things and personnel would have been effected and by then the city government starts to be operational from its new, modern home.

Rellon said that there would be no lavish and extravagant celebration on March 7 and light snacks consisting of “suman, saging, turon” and the like would be served to the estimated 15,000-18,000 Tagumenyos who are expected to flock in droves on the historic grand opening of the new City Hall to the public.
There would be program in the morning and at 2 P.M he would deliver his State of the City Address (SOTCA).

“It’s really a date with and an affair of the Tagumenyos, and since it’s election time already, we are not inviting national politicians to grace the affair, although they can come in and of course, we will welcome them,” the mayor said.
“It’s for the Tagumenyos and we don’t want to politicize,” out from the grand and historic event, he added.

Rellon said that finally the transfer process is “work in progress” after encountering many constraints and difficulties when he assumed taking charge for the completion of the city’s superstructure from the previous administration of now ex-Mayor Rey T. Uy.
The new City Hall sits on the sprawling 8-hectare land donated by Davao business magnate Jesus V. Ayala.

Ayala on the inauguration will be invited and honored as well as the previous officials who contributed in the making of the new City Hall such as former Mayor Uy, informed Rellon.

The construction of the City Hall started by Uy was funded out from separate bank loans, with the first loan of P200 million from Development Bank of the Philippines secured in late 2007.

“Soon the next bank loans came in after that first P200 million, the P275 million, P162 million and that P231 million, for a total of P868 million, plus the around P100 million equity of the city government, it’s almost P1 billion,” said the acting city planning and development coordinator (CPDC) Sonny Manigo.

ISSUES HURDLED

The issue then after Rellon won the mayorship in 2013 election over Uy’s son now ex-Councilor Oyo was how and whether he could continue and complete the still unfinished building that had eaten up more than P600 million already out from bankloans secured by the city government.

There were allegations of corruption that hounded the new city hall’s construction, which became an electoral issue against the Uy administration in that election.
Uy, the former mayor who had his last term in 2013, is comebacking this time to fight it off with reelectionist Rellon in the coming polls.

The Rellon administration caught up with the still unreleased P231 million loan then lastly sought by Uy from DBP, and the new administration charged that there were ghost deliveries of materials worth slightly more than P200 million for which the bulk of the loan was intended for.

Two of the four affected suppliers claimed that the materials were indeed delivered and already used as already part of the new City Hall and then sued Rellon and his city legal counsel Arman Seras, who is now in the private sector.

Two cases related to the new City Hall are now pending in two Regional Trial Courts in Tagum City, but Rellon said that he is awaiting for court decisions before he would file for countersuits relating the questioned deliveries.

Earlier, Rellon said that the deliveries were “questionable” and “had not been delivered” for use by the new City Hall and that “there were POs (purchase orders) but there were no deliveries as certified by the city engineer’s and general services offices.”

Three of the four affected suppliers responded to the notices of the termination of contracts sent in December 2014.

The four affected suppliers remained to be yet unpaid at present while the two suits against Rellon remain pending even as Uy denied corruption allegations during his administration relating to the gargantuan project that he initiated.

Rellon recalled that when he came in as a mayor he really had a hard time starting on how to continue the project and had to “dig deeper first” in “as-built planning” from engineering terms to its costing to clearing with Commission on Audit, which had its several adverse findings on the projects.

To jumpstart, Rellon had to create an advisory committee and technical working group as the issue on non-delivery of materials had to be responded with technical audit of materials by COA’s third-party evaluators and assessors.

These ate up a long period of time from his assumption as mayor up to the first half of 2014.

After the six-month rigorous audit and project assessment in 2014, the issue on termination of contracts or alleged ghost deliveries by four suppliers came in next, resulting to the filing of suits against the mayor and his legal counsel in early 2015.
But Rellon went on with the city procurement activities, and after successful bidding for the completion phase of the project, it was only starting July 2015 that the renewed construction of the new City Hall went on full blast.

THE TRANSFER

Meanwhile, acting CPDC Manigo said that the moving out process started Feb. 8 with the first transfer of the Local Civil Registrar’s Office, City Treasurer’s Office, City Engineer’s Office, Business Permit and Licenses Office, and City Social Welfare and Development Office, which occupy the first floor of the new City Hall.

By Feb. 29, this Monday, the 2nd floor is scheduled to be occupied by City Budget Office, Human Resource Office, City Assessor Office, General Services Office, and Muslim and Indigenous Peoples’ Offices, and the City Administrator’s Office and the Mayor’s Office at the level’s northern central area.
By March 5, the 3rd floor is expected to be occupied by City Planning Office, Sangguniang Panglungsod office and Secretariat, and the office of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), as well as the 4th floor will be for the Tourism and Investment Offices.

“By March 5 (Saturday) also, after all things and valuables of these offices have been moved out, this old City Hall is considered to be closed,” Manigo said, adding that while there is ongoing transfer based on schedule, there would be skeletal force that remains in each offices and transactions would still be held in the old City Hall until March 4 (Friday).

The Tagum City Police Station would still remain to its present location, although it will have a satellite office in separate building to be constructed within the new City Hall compound.

As of Friday, vital facilities in the new City Hall have been smoothly running and in order which include the aircon system, elevator, water and light.

Manigo said that the new City Hall is 95% complete, and what remains to be completed in the main structure is the 5th floor, which is the viewing deck.

The planning officer has been working for 18 years in the old City Hall and as the head of the committee on city hall transfer, he said: “I’m having mixed emotions, I’m excited, for us who’ve been working here for a long time, it’s not in our wildest expectations before that one day we will transfer to a new office.”

OLD CITY HALL: TO BECOME A CULTURAL HISTORICAL CENTER

For Mayor Rellon, who has been continuously working for 23 years without interruption in the old City Hall since he became the municipal administrator in 1993, he wants to convert the old City Hall as the “Tagum City Cultural Historical Center.”

“We will improve this old building with P10-20 million budget to make this as a heritage pride shining at the center of a developed city. This building started with the structure of the 40s and we need to preserve, and improve this with Muslim and indigenous motifs laid all over and a city library and museum inside,” the mayor said.

He added that as to the SP Building, Barangay Magugpo has already requested to convert it as barangay hall while a few other national agencies have shown interest to occupy some of its rooms.

“That would depend on the City Cultural and Historical Council. The future of the SP building will depend on the collective decision of the historical council, not a singular one,” said Rellon. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)