Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez accused the Capitol of delivering sacks of rice for the town’s El Niño-affected barangays straight to a private residence instead of the municipal hall.
Ramirez made his accusation in his Facebook account Wednesday night.
The mayor wrote to Gov. Hilario Davide III in June identifying 1,526 households across four barangays in the town in need of assistance.
He said the aid was meant for affected farmers in Maharuhay, Dalingding Sur, Panugnawan, and Gibitngil.
In an interview, the mayor said the sacks of rice were brought to the house of Provincial Board (PB) Member Joven Mondigo Jr., who will be running against his son, Ricardo Rodulfo IV, for town mayor under the Liberal Party (LP) next year.
Ramirez is allied with the National Unity Party (NUP), but is affiliated with the Garcia-led One Cebu Party in the local level.
He said he also noticed the delivery of relief goods for senior citizens but none of these have gone through the municipality’s social welfare office.
“Tan-aw nako, political purposes ning bugasa (I think politics is behind this),” said Ramirez.
Farmers supposedly in need of the sacks of rice, he said, had resorted to other means to cope with the effects of El Niño.
Ramirez said he already did his part “exposing the hypocrisy of the Capitol” and that it is up to the people to judge the matter.
PB Member Mondigo, in a separate interview, said the mayor was mistaken.
Mondigo said that he was not aware of any request of Mayor Ramirez made for El Niño assistance.
However, he said that there is assistance for senior citizens through the Halad Alang Kang Lolo ug Lola program where elders get cans of milk, rice, and other goods.
“To avoid the issue of politics, there has never been one instance that I was present during the distribution of goods to the seniors,” said Mondigo.
He said the Capitol already distributed goods to barangays Daanlungsod, Antipolo, Mahawak, Gibitngil, Maharuhay, Kawit, Luy-a, and Panugnawan.
Mondigo said he doesn’t think the Capitol is prohibited from giving aid directly to the barangays.
The board member said the Capitol will be distributing assistance in barangays Don Virgilio Gonzales and Poblacion, where the captains will be running for town councilors under Ramirez’s group next year.
“No politics is involved here,” he said.