ABUCAY, Bataan- Three of nine municipal mayors in Bataan mentioned in newspaper reports of writing then Sec. Arthur Yap of the Department of Agriculture on November 2006 and receiving P5 million from said agency on Monday denied receiving such fund.
Municipal Administrator Romeo Dulay and Sangguniang Bayan Sec. Leo Manrique of Abucay, Bataan said they dug all records that showed that former Mayor Liberato “Pambato” Santiago had not written Yap on November 14, 2006 or any other dates.
Dulay said that Santiago and the sanggunian have good relationship and the former mayor saw to it that all his requests for financial assistance from national agencies and senators were accompanied by SB resolutions.
To drive his point, he showed SB resolutions on Santiago’s letter-request to the Department of Agrarian Reform.
“Malungkot na pangyayari na walang natanggap na P5-M ang Abucay sa DA sapagka’t ang development projects dito ay sa pagsisikap ng dating mayor at ng kanyang asawa na kasalukuyang mayor,” Dulay said.
He said he knows because he was member of the Abucay SB then as chairman of the committee on infrastructure, land use and housing.
Pambato was three-term mayor of Abucay. His wife Ana took over the mayorship from 2007 to the present.
Rolando Tigas, two-term mayor of Samal, Bataan, said it was usual for mayors to write executive departments and senators in the hope of seeking financial assistance.
“Hindi ko na matandaan kung sumulat ako kay Secretary Yap noong November 14, 2006 dahil seven years ago na ‘yon pero ang alam ko walang dumating na project o pondo sa Samal na galing sa Agriculture department,” Tigas who is presently a first term member of the provincial board said.
Billy Ventura, administrative consultant in the office of Vice-Gov. Efren Pascual, Jr. said Pascual, former mayor of Orani town, was out of town and only issued a text message about the issue.
“According to the vice-governor, he has no knowledge about the P5-M and could not remember writing Sec. Yap for financial assistance,” Ventura said.
Aside from Santiago, Tigas and Pascual, also mentioned in newspaper reports of writing Yap for P5-million assistance were former mayors Armando Ramos of Bagac, M. S. Banzon of Balanga City, Efren Cruz of Hermosa, Nelson David of Limay, Angel Peliglorio of Mariveles, and Norberto Linao Jr. of Morong.
They still could not be contacted.
