DAVIDE (CDN FILE PHOTO)
LAWYERS of the One Cebu party will file a complaint against Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III for the alleged millions of pesos that the Capitol released for the clean and green beautification project called “Gasa sa Kabarangayan.”
In a statement sent to the media, the party demanded that Capitol make a full accounting of the alleged P40 million released to Liberal Party-allied mayors and barangay officials.
One Cebu president and gubernatorial candidate Winston Garcia said the distribution of the amount to LP’s allies is “an act of desperation” on the governor’s part.
“They are so concerned with beautification when people are hungry because of the drought. That is a pure waste of public funds and an act of desperation, thinking that his only way to win is to buy votes,” Garcia said.
But Davide said, on the contrary, One Cebu’s filing of the complaint showed desperation on their part.
He said One Cebu should file their complaint since it has “become their favorite past time.”
He also refuted One Cebu’s claim that they used the funding for the project to “buy votes.”
“It has never been our practice . . . They are used to that . . . They’re buying the votes of barangay officials and barangay captains,” he said.
Davide earlier denied claims that the province asked for a refund of the P1 million funds given to each recipient barangay.
He said there is no truth to reports that only P250,000 was reportedly used to pay street cleaners for two days of work while the P750,000 was returned to a Capitol official.
Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district called the Capitol’s release of P40 million for the beautification program “disgraceful and scandalous.”
“At this time, when severe drought is hitting our barangays and towns, millions are being spent on ‘beautification’ instead,” the former governor said.
She said there are 230 barangays, six towns and one city in the third district, and yet, only two towns and 26 barangays were recipients of the Capitol’s program.
“Why only a few?” she asked, citing that the Capitol gave “so much for so little.” One Cebu asked the Commission on Audit to probe the transactions.
Davide said the amount was released after the local government units sent requests to them.
But Pinamungajan Mayor Glenn Baricuatro, Asturias Mayor Alan Adlawan and Aloguinsan Vice Mayor Cesar Augustus Moreno said only LP-allied barangays received the amount. Requests for important projects from other barangays were ignored by Capitol.
Aside from the complaint for election offense, an administrative complaint is also being prepared for filing at the anti-graft office.