Critics of the Aquino administration are unimpressed by the anti-corruption campaign being waged by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. They believe only the small fry are getting suspended and indicted or dismissed, like “lowly” local incumbent elective officials and former government officials including active and retired police officials.
Criticism notwithstanding, Ombudsman Carpio-Morales is getting a thumbs up especially from netizens who have grown tired with the snail pace of running after erring state officials.
I just arrived from a day trip to Tagbilaran, Bohol and local politics in the neighboring province is as noisy and hot as the presidential derby, all because of the indictment resolution signed by Ombudsman Carpio-Morales over a case involving Bohol Gov. and former vice governor Edgar Chatto and former Bohol governor and incumbent Congressman Rene Relampagos (1st district).
Other respondents include former Provincial Board members, like Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim. Salcon executive Dennis Villareal has also been indicted as a private respondent.
The case is the 2000 anomalous Joint Venture Agreement and Rehabilitate-Operate-Own (JVA ROO) which the province of Bohol, under then Governor Relampagos and Vice Gov. Edgar Chatto, signed with Salcon Power Consortium.
The sale of the assets of the province-owned light and power utilities to the Malaysian-owned Salcon for P155 million was a crucial election issue because of rumors that Capitol officials received grease money for selling the light and power companies baratilyo style. In 2000, the assets of the two utilities including the cost of franchise was estimated at more than P782 million.
The fallout from the Salcon deal had Relampagos fighting for political survival in 2001 when he faced the popular Congressman Erico Aumentado, who was then on his last term as 2nd district representative. Riding on the widespread condemnation of the Salcon deal, Aumentado trounced Relampagos by 50,000 votes. A rematch took place in 2004, but Aumentado simply validated his first election by beating Relampagos with the same margin.
Politics in Bohol is like a party game of musical chairs in which politicians merely swap places when their term of office is up. Relampagos bounced back in 2010 when then 1st district Rep. Edgar Chatto’s term of office expired. Meanwhile, Aumentado’s term of office as governor ended, leaving the Capitol to Chatto who won handily. Aumentado returned to his old 1st district post but passed away in December 2012.
Congressman Relampagos and Governor Chatto are long-time allies and members of the Liberal Party. Relampagos is a former supporter of Joseph Estrada and is said to be among the first converts to the Aquino fold after PNoy became president in 2010. During the time of former president Gloria Arroyo, Chatto was said to be one of her key supporters.
Relampagos wanted to rename the Carlos P. Garcia Avenue in the capital city of Tagbilaran into the Corazon Aquino Avenue, but the move was met by fierce opposition. The Boholano was highly visible in the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, diligently appearing in each impeachment hearing as chairman of the House Secretariat.
The timing of the Ombudsman’s indictment of the graft case, more than six months into the elections, means it will be 2001 all over again both for Relampagos and Chatto. Only this time, the censure will be more intense because Ombudsman Carpio-Morales approved the resolution to file the case before the Sandiganbayan.
Before the Ombudsman’s action, Relampagos and Chatto were perceived to be shoo-ins, but perhaps sensing that the ghost of the Salcon deal would be a political-game changer, the opposition PDP Laban fielded Loay Mayor Rosemarie Lim Imboy against reelectionist Governor Chatto.
Meanwhile, Congressman Relampagos is running virtually unopposed in the first district, but sources say he may be in for a surprise if a worthy opponent would substitute an unknown candidate on December 8, the final date set by the Comelec for substitution of candidates.