.jpg)
Email me: "cagayanjournal@gmail.com"
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Acenas hits Xavier over Carp failure
COUNCILOR Ian Caesar Acenas has blamed the Jesuit-run Xavier University for the failure of the government to give farmers some 300 hectares under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp).
The 300 hectares are part of 1,968.75-hectare government property that extends from Upper Tablon to Puerto. The property is presently being used by Ramcar as a ranch under the pasture lease agreement. Local officials said Ramcar’s lease agreement has already expired.
Acenas said the government could have long given the 300 hectares to the city’s farmers had it not been for Xavier’s opposition.
Of the 300 hectares, Xavier is reportedly claiming ownership of 109 hectares.
Acenas said Xavier even went to the extent of seeking a court order to stop the government from giving the land to impoverished farmers.
Acenas pointed to Xavier as the cause of the delay after Councilor Reynaldo Advincula raised a question on the status of 300-hectare agricultural land that was supposedly set aside from the 1,968.75-hectare government property.
Acenas said he could not understand why Xavier was forcing the issue when several decisions favored the farmers. He said even the environment department favored the farmers.
Meanwhile, Councilor Advincula accused Ramcar of ‘‘overstaying’’ in the property. He said Ramcar has applied for the renewal of its lease agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for another 25 years.
Advincula said he feared Ramcar might seek ownership of the land.
"Twenty-five years are enough, no need for an extension," Advincula said.
He called on Ramcar to yield to the city’s poor farmers.
City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (Cenro) Ronald Gadut said Ramcar’s lease agreement allowed it to have control over 1,968.75 hectares. Some 1,517.75 hectares of this property is located in Cagayan de Oro while the remaining 451 hectares are situated in neighboring Bukidnon.
"Ramcar did not violate any law," said Gadut.
Ramcar has been leasing the land since 1984.
But Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya said the Ramcar could be held liable for not giving the land up.
Nacaya said the city council might be forced to declare Ramcar’s owners persona non grata.
That can be read at Gold Star Daily
The 300 hectares are part of 1,968.75-hectare government property that extends from Upper Tablon to Puerto. The property is presently being used by Ramcar as a ranch under the pasture lease agreement. Local officials said Ramcar’s lease agreement has already expired.
Acenas said the government could have long given the 300 hectares to the city’s farmers had it not been for Xavier’s opposition.
Of the 300 hectares, Xavier is reportedly claiming ownership of 109 hectares.
Acenas said Xavier even went to the extent of seeking a court order to stop the government from giving the land to impoverished farmers.
Acenas pointed to Xavier as the cause of the delay after Councilor Reynaldo Advincula raised a question on the status of 300-hectare agricultural land that was supposedly set aside from the 1,968.75-hectare government property.
Acenas said he could not understand why Xavier was forcing the issue when several decisions favored the farmers. He said even the environment department favored the farmers.
Meanwhile, Councilor Advincula accused Ramcar of ‘‘overstaying’’ in the property. He said Ramcar has applied for the renewal of its lease agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for another 25 years.
Advincula said he feared Ramcar might seek ownership of the land.
"Twenty-five years are enough, no need for an extension," Advincula said.
He called on Ramcar to yield to the city’s poor farmers.
City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (Cenro) Ronald Gadut said Ramcar’s lease agreement allowed it to have control over 1,968.75 hectares. Some 1,517.75 hectares of this property is located in Cagayan de Oro while the remaining 451 hectares are situated in neighboring Bukidnon.
"Ramcar did not violate any law," said Gadut.
Ramcar has been leasing the land since 1984.
But Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya said the Ramcar could be held liable for not giving the land up.
Nacaya said the city council might be forced to declare Ramcar’s owners persona non grata.
That can be read at Gold Star Daily
.jpg)
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Ocon blows whistle on 11 consultancy deals
OPPOSITION Councilor Zaldy Ocon yesterday accused the Emano administration of wasting public funds to pay 11 ‘‘consultants.’’
Ocon blew the whistle after the PaDayon Pilipino-dominated city council approved on Monday Ordinance no. 2006-251 that renewed city hall’s 11 consultancy contracts.
The consultants have been receiving fees ranging from P15 thousand to P20 thousand a month.
At P15 thousand each for the 11 consultants, city hall has been spending P165 thousand a month.
The ordinance renewed the contracts from July 1 to December 31. The consultants are lawyers Noel Guibone, Ramon Tabor, Reynaldo Llego, Pureza Ramos, President Elipe, Virginia Plaza, Marvin Pacheco, Armando Pomar, Dulcesimo Ytem, Cipriano Paasa and Engr. Jose Belen.
Four of the consultants––Tabor, Ramos, Elipe and Ytem––used to serve as elected councilors of the city.
Aside from Guibone and Tabor who have been serving as ‘‘overseers’’ of the City Economic Enterprise Department (CEED) and the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA), respectively, there is no immediate and clear explanation for the renewal of the contracts of the other consultants. Neither are their functions clear.
Ocon questioned the passage of the ordinance, saying it did not specify the functions and duties of the consultants.
Ocon called on the Commission on Audit (COA) to start reviewing the approved ordinance.
"The COA should look into it (ordinance), even question it... City hall has no basis in getting consultants," Ocon said.
Ocon also urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to disallow the release of public funds to pay the consultancy fees.
Earlier, DBM declared the incentives for some 2,588 city hall employees illegal.
DBM director for northern Mindanao Romeo Melad, who disallowed city hall’s 2006 budget due to a projected overspending, said city hall should stop giving bonuses that were ‘‘without legal basis.’’
Ocon lashed at Mayor Vicente Emano for allegedly certifying the ordinance on consultancy contracts as urgent. He said there ordinance was approved without 1st and 2nd readings.
Ocon said Emano and his allies in the council violated Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. He said this law applies to consultancy services.
Based on this law, he said, there should have been a public bidding to ensure competitive prices for consultancy services, and transparency.
"Why is it that Emano wants to spend another million for 11 people when the DBM disallowed the release of allowances to city hall employees?’’ asked Ocon. ‘‘The employees are complaining yet they (Emano and his allies) have been wasting public funds for consultancy services.’’
"What I know is that the consultants would be receiving P1 million, more or less, during the remaining months of this year," Ocon said. ‘‘I can’t say eaxactly when city hall started paying these consultants.’’
He added: "Some of the consultants are reportedly bedridden. How can some of them help city hall when they are already weak due to old age?"
Ocon said he stepped out of the council’s session hall to protest the ordinance’s passage.
"I didn’t want to be part of their corruption," Ocon said.
"That can be read at Gold Star Daily>Link
Ocon blew the whistle after the PaDayon Pilipino-dominated city council approved on Monday Ordinance no. 2006-251 that renewed city hall’s 11 consultancy contracts.
The consultants have been receiving fees ranging from P15 thousand to P20 thousand a month.
At P15 thousand each for the 11 consultants, city hall has been spending P165 thousand a month.
The ordinance renewed the contracts from July 1 to December 31. The consultants are lawyers Noel Guibone, Ramon Tabor, Reynaldo Llego, Pureza Ramos, President Elipe, Virginia Plaza, Marvin Pacheco, Armando Pomar, Dulcesimo Ytem, Cipriano Paasa and Engr. Jose Belen.
Four of the consultants––Tabor, Ramos, Elipe and Ytem––used to serve as elected councilors of the city.
Aside from Guibone and Tabor who have been serving as ‘‘overseers’’ of the City Economic Enterprise Department (CEED) and the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA), respectively, there is no immediate and clear explanation for the renewal of the contracts of the other consultants. Neither are their functions clear.
Ocon questioned the passage of the ordinance, saying it did not specify the functions and duties of the consultants.
Ocon called on the Commission on Audit (COA) to start reviewing the approved ordinance.
"The COA should look into it (ordinance), even question it... City hall has no basis in getting consultants," Ocon said.
Ocon also urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to disallow the release of public funds to pay the consultancy fees.
Earlier, DBM declared the incentives for some 2,588 city hall employees illegal.
DBM director for northern Mindanao Romeo Melad, who disallowed city hall’s 2006 budget due to a projected overspending, said city hall should stop giving bonuses that were ‘‘without legal basis.’’
Ocon lashed at Mayor Vicente Emano for allegedly certifying the ordinance on consultancy contracts as urgent. He said there ordinance was approved without 1st and 2nd readings.
Ocon said Emano and his allies in the council violated Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. He said this law applies to consultancy services.
Based on this law, he said, there should have been a public bidding to ensure competitive prices for consultancy services, and transparency.
"Why is it that Emano wants to spend another million for 11 people when the DBM disallowed the release of allowances to city hall employees?’’ asked Ocon. ‘‘The employees are complaining yet they (Emano and his allies) have been wasting public funds for consultancy services.’’
"What I know is that the consultants would be receiving P1 million, more or less, during the remaining months of this year," Ocon said. ‘‘I can’t say eaxactly when city hall started paying these consultants.’’
He added: "Some of the consultants are reportedly bedridden. How can some of them help city hall when they are already weak due to old age?"
Ocon said he stepped out of the council’s session hall to protest the ordinance’s passage.
"I didn’t want to be part of their corruption," Ocon said.
"That can be read at Gold Star Daily>Link
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)