On TRO, injunction vs. Nabunturan bond flotation nov 13
NABUNTURAN- Regional Trial Court Judge Helarion Clapis here has ordered yesterday to send subpoenas to the regional offices of the Department of Finance and the Department of Budget and Management for their experts to testify and give opinions as neutral parties on the P90-million bond flotation project of the municipal administration which town oppositors seek to stop through court action.
Bond float oppositors last Friday filed at RTC-Branch 3 here last Friday a court case praying for injunction with application for writ of preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order (TRO) against respondents Mayor Macario Humol, Vice Mayor Romeo Clarin and Councilors Iluminada Cabuga, Darwin Tan, Edilberto Minoza, Vivencia Secuya, Cheryl Trinidad, ABC president Alfredo Manalop, sectoral representative Felipe Masambo and Sangguniang Kabataan president Jennifer Gamao.
Not included in the case were also oppositionist councilors Raul Caballero and Editha Arangcon.
Complainants of the case and authorized representatives of the people’s initiative petition were Councilor Alfonso Tabas, Jr. Emilio delos Reyes and newsman Cha Monforte.
The case filed was docketed as Civil Case No. 898. The respondents have answered yesterday their comment and opposition to the case following Monday’s summons of Judge Clapis for them to enter appearance within 15 days from receipt of summons.
Only Minoza and Gamao were absent in yesterday’s hearing.
They were represented by their counsels prosecutor Ferdinand Villanueva and provincial prosecutor Graciano Arafol.
On the other hand, the complainants’ counsels were Atty. Rex Lopoz and Atty. Carlo Ancla.
In yesterday’s first hearing on the injunction with TRO, following hearing of arguments that a took a little over an hour, Judge Clapis said, citing Rule 58 on the rules of court on injunction and a “limited knowledge of this court” on bond flotation such as about its fees and costs and how it affects the people of Nabunturan, “there is a need to issue subpoenas” to DoF and DBM “to testify and inform this court on the effects of bond flotation, whether or not it would be for the benefit or disadvantage of the people”.
He said that the court has the power to impose an injunction to a government unit if there is a need for “special probationary remedy to correct an error”. He said there is a need for experts from neutral parties and not those coming from local parties on the bond flotation to enlighten his court whether he would issue an injunction or not.
He ordered his court sheriff Rene Suarez to serve the summons to DoF and DBM today and scheduled the next hearing Thursday next week, Nov. 20. (Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Tagum City Mayor Rey Chiong Uy will not be revoking the business permit of North Davao College Tagum Foundation Inc if the school will first make voluntary the payment of the fees for the nursing review and mock board examinations.
The mayor made bare his stand in a text message yesterday following Tuesday’s appeal of the censured officials and nursing students in lower years of the NDC-Tagum for the mayo not to revoke the school’s business permit.
In a DXDN Radyo Ukay-Tagum report yesterday, Dr. Roberto Palec, NDC-Tagum dean of nursing, pleaded to Uy to make more probe on the allegations against his school before making his final decision on whether to revoke the business permit of the school particularly for its nursing school program.
Dr. Palec said there is a process to follow before they could be penalized with revocation of business permit.
In another radio report, the NDC-Tagum nursing students in lower years especially those in the fourth year now also asked for non-revocation since they are already graduating by March next year.
On Monday the city council has censured the school with seven resolutions including the declaration of four top officials of the school as persona non grata and the revocation of the permit of the school’s nursing course program.
NDC president Anita Somoso, Palec and other officials went to the mayor’s office on Tuesday for the purpose but they were only met by City Administrator Raffy Abrenica and City Legal Officer Roland Tumanda.
Meanwhile, Councilor Francisco Militar said that while the city council has declared persona non grata to several NDC-Tagum officials it can only declare as such and could not put the censured officials in contempt.
He advised complaining party of nursing graduates and parents to go first to the barangay and then to the court for due relief. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said yesterday that since Tagum Mayor Rey Uy was the standard bearer of the ruling administration Lakas-CMD, the party’s chairmanship in the last 2007 elections is thus reserved to the latter being the top incumbent official in the city, said a DXDN Radyo Ukay-Tagum report.
“As far as I know, he is still with Lakas,” said Del Rosario in apparent comment to the report that the mayor has been gravitating towards the opposition based on his statements on a few of national issues in the past.
“Hinid na kailangang galawin ito,” he said referring to the current leadership set-up on the administration party in the city.
Picking up from the recent Lakas-CMD unification in Compostela Valley, the governor said the Lakas-CMD in his province would also have its oathtaking and reaffirmation of membership before the year will end.
The Lakas-CMD in Comval is chaired by the city mayor’s elder brother Governor Arturo Uy. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
The feathers of one of Tagum’s illustrious sons have been unruffled, to say proverbially. Right after the Davao del Norte’s 2009 annual budget of P624.5 million was approved Monday by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan without still an item Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) which has been considered as the pork barrel fund, Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio told me the budget is “reflective of the real needs of the province”. He added that he has no regrets that it has no PDAF for the SP members including for himself.
“Mao gyud na ang tama, ang amo lang is to legislate,” he added.
He said that due to limited funds the legislative department is with Governor Rodolfo del Rosario in concentrating funds for his priority programs under the RDR wheels strategy of governance.
He said though that for the next year the SP has also no capital outlay and almost the same budget for the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) compared to this year.
What a sportsman he is. Well, earlier reports said that the governor’s predecessor ex-Gob YG had reportedly dispensed PDAF for the BMs and VG for them to respond to thousands of requests of small projects, services and solicitations like medicines for the sick and hospitalized, paupers burials etc, etc from barangays and constituents (read: the voters).
It’s what Speaker Boy Nograles asserted in his white paper to justify his giving of pork barrel to the congressmen, like Joe DV. They are also politicians and in a band of legislators also engaged in politics, congressmen also need magnanimity, the pork regardless of the many issues and allegations hounding it. Otherwise, BM Dangpanan is quite right in asking his constituents’ indulgence for giving only a pittance for solicitations or else he goes home with much dwindled take home pay from his P28,340 salary or of the VG’s P29,474 salary, without yet counting their monthly RATA yet, anyway.
Be that at it may, but VG Baby may well be apprised that in the country’s fiscal structure in LGUs it is, as usual, skewed to the executive, the implementor. As in the approved budget, the Provincial Governor’s Office (PGO) got the usual bulk in terms of personal services (PS, which is for salaries and wages) and MOOE across offices, seizing up about 13 percent or P81,060,617 of the total Capitol’s budget of P624,504,612 for 2009.
The PGO’s budget is further boosted by budget allocations across various fund accounts and services such as the P20.8-million general fund for regular programs and various services listed under the 20-percent development fund.
Under the general public services of the 20-percent development fund, the governor has P17,168,000 for the peace and order program, from which the confidential intelligence fund (IF) is pegged. Well, the IF is computed to be either 30 percent of the total peace and order appropriation, or 1 percent of the annual budget, whichever is lower, or hence Gov. Del Rosario has P5.15 million intel fund for next year.
Besides, the PGO has also P28 million for universal Philhealth coverage of the P38.7 million for health services, P11 million for other general public services, P61.2 million for various economic services, among others. Under this traditional fiscal parameter, look ma no pork, VG Baby’s office and the SP offices have only a budget of P15,261,550 and P30,998,586, respectively, or a total of P46,260,136 for the legislative department’s PS and MOOE. (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, for comments and reactions, email: chamonforte@yahoo.com, or ruralurbanews@yahoo.com)
The sprawling and known Sarmiento compound in Montevista, Compostela Valley has been reported to have been already leased and used as log buying station allegedly fronting for sawmills and log processors operating outside the town.
The still unknown entity leasing the Sarmiento compound that has big warehouse and a ricemill inside is accordingly engaged in buying logs sourced from as far as Santa Josefa town in Agusan del Sur even if it has allegedly no sawmilling, logging operations and clearances secured from the municipality and the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources.
Sources said that legitimate wood processors have now been experiencing scarce wood supplies these days.
Sidlak tried but failed to contact the provincial environment officer Gregorio Lagura, who was out of his office yesterday morning.
The Sarmiento compound was once a known political venue since the 80s until the late 90s when the Sarmientos were then on their heydays as political kingmakers in Comval and the old first district of the still undivided Davao del Norte. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
First-termer City Councilor De Carlo “Oyo”, son of Mayor Rey Uy, said when prodded in an interview that he is also eligible to run for the congressional post that would be considered by Lakas party as vacant once its holder last-termer Cong. Arrel Olano goes out from the office by 2010.
But he said that that for now “trabaho muna bago yang politika”. Asked if the report was true on his close friendship with former Vice Gov. Anthony Rafael del Rosario, he smiled and said that it might be because they are both young.
The young Del Rosario has been reported to aspiring for Olano’s post, while Boardmember Roger “Dangpanan” Israel has been making louder noises on his congressional ambition over the airwaves through DXDN Radyo Ukay-Tagum where Israel anchors in an early morning program.
Mayor Uy, who recently said that he still has one more term to serve, has remained silent until press time on his son’s 2010 plan.
Observers said that there seems now a start-up guessing game as to what Councilor Oyo would take a crack on by 2010, which they say may include also the vice mayoral post considering that the Davao City’s tandem of Mayor Rody and his daughter Vice Mayor Sara had already been realized and made as precedent.
Asked on his stand on the City Hall’s tiff with the North Davao College Tagum Foundation Inc., he said that the city council had thoroughly studied and discussed all the issues and their ramifications and as collegial body they ended up approving the resolutions that censured the school officials.
He admitted though that the city council has no power to contempt, even as it has the power to declare persona non grata. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
After his recent trip in Rome where the Santo Papa lives, Davao del Norte Boardmember Roger “Dangpanan” Israel isn’t yet singing a different song. He’s still singing the same song but already louder this time.
Before his departure last month, Tagum’s veteran politician, who came from the ranks of the local media, told me in an interview that he would go into “deep personal reflection” that included on whether he would finalize his plan of running to run for the first congressional post that the last-termer Cong. Arrel Olano is finishing to serve at present.
In that interview, he said that considering his length of service as an elected official and the masteral studies on public administration he graduated, he is ready and capable to handle higher posts including that of the governor and congressman.
But Dangpanan is most interested to run though for Congress which is also being vied by former Vice Gov. Anthony Rafael del Rosario, son of Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, the district’s recognized kingmaker.
“We still have not made an agreement on it,” he said referring to the young Del Rosario as the other party.
In his early morning radio program over DXDN Radyo Ukay-Tagum late last week, Israel, who said he had just gone from Rome in Europe, was not yet singing a different tune but was more loudly repetitious on the absence of agreement between him and Anthony.
On the airwaves, he’s either been singing “It’s not too late” or “It’s now or never” with a refrain that he could not wait to be 65 anymore by 2013.
But in a rather bellicose commentaries, Israel, also of the administration party, announced that he would be going to the barangays and consult the people on his congressional plan “kay wa man silay gusto nako”.
He bared his plan of organizing a grassroots structure parallel to the RDR Wheels of the governor.
He also asked for indulgence from his constituents for the small amount he is giving for their solicitations reasoning on the present absence of pork barrel funds for the Davao del Norte boardmembers.
He also alleged that the capitol has been engaged on borrowing binge from banks here and there and bared that the 2009 budget for education for the thousands of provincial scholars would not be for the 2009 expenditure but for the 2008 payables to the schools where the scholars study.
But also playing coy on his plan, Israel said that “pwede pod ko nga di na lang modagan ug mag technician na lang sa FM station ni kanhi governor ug congressman Pros Amatong sa Nabunturan” as he greeted the provincial elder on the air. An FM station owned by Amatong located along the road going to the Cabidianan Capitol in Nabunturan is now reportedly ready for test broadcast.
The other day, he said he has gone in seven countries in Europe including the country-city Rome, from where he brought home a holy miraculous water he is sharing at press time to his constituents.
After I recently enjoyed listening to what appears as BM Roger’s comic cum tear-jerker and hullabaloo on his congressional plan, I imagined of the coming Tagum’s fiesta bolanteros. From such imagery it’s now either kwarta o kahon, or believe it or not, or she loves me, she loves me not. But when he makes true his threat of running for Congress, there’s then that spectacle of ruining the Lakas unity in Davnor, and one may say, nah naluke na. (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, for comments and reactions, email: chamonforte@yahoo.com, or ruralurbanews@yahoo.com)
A total of P624.5 million annual budget for year 2009 was approved yesterday by the Davao del Norte Sangguniang Panlalawigan without still an item Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) which has been considered as the pork barrel fund of provincial board members.
Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio, in an interview with Sidlak after the SP budget approval, said that the budget is “reflective of the real needs of the the province” adding that he has no regrets that it has no PDAF for the SP members including for himself.
“Mao gyud na ang tama, ang amo lang is to legislate,” he added. He said that due to limited funds the legislative department is with Governor Rodolfo del Rosario in concentrating funds for his priority programs under the RDR wheels strategy of governance.
He said though that for the next year the SP has also no capital outlay and almost the same budget for the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) compared to this year.
In the approved budget, Provincial Governor’s Office (PGO) got the usual bulk of the budget in terms of personal services (PS, which is for salaries and wages) and MOOE across offices, seizing up about 13 percent or P81,060,617 of the total Capitol’s budget of P624,504,612 for 2009.
The PGO’s budget is further boosted by budget allocations across various fund accounts and services such as the P20.8-million general fund for regular programs and various services listed under the 20-percent development fund. Under the general public services of the 20-percent development fund, the governor has P17,168,000 for the peace and order program, from which the confidential intelligence fund (IF) is pegged.
The IF budget is computed to be either 30 percent of the total peace and order appropriation, or 1 percent of the annual budget, whichever is lower, or hence Gov. Del Rosario has P5.15 million intel fund for next year.
Besides, the PGO has also P28 million for universal Philhealth coverage of the P38.7 million for health services, P11 million for other general public services, P61.2 million for various economic services, among others. On the other hand, the Vice Governor’s Office and the SP offices have only a budget of P15,261,550 and P30,998,586, respectively, or a total of P46,260,136 for the legislative department’s PS and MOOE. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Because of controversy, NDC nursing grads cannot take Nov. 30 exam anymore
nov 11
Four top officials of the controversy-wracked North Davao College Tagum Foundation Inc. were declared by the Tagum City Council after a lengthy question hour portion attended by some school and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) officials in yesterday’s sanggunian session.
Declared persona non grata in the city council’s Resolution No. 534 were Dr. Anita Somoso, NDC-Tagum school president, Dr. Roberto Palec, dean of college of nursing, nurse Ms. Rosie Jay Rom, assistant dean, and Lida Natavio, school administrator.
Somoso was not present in yesterday’s session.
Dr. Palec was largely unmoved though at times put in precarious situation in defending his school to the several allegations posed by lead proponent Councilor Joey Millan.
Palec debunked allegations that they were into money-making activities in collecting P10,000 review fee and P7,500 mock board examination fee from their nursing graduates before school credentials could be released to them.
But present councilors after hearing the side of several NDC-Tagum officials were still unconvinced and made true approving their last week’s seven resolutions censuring the school and its officials with only insignificant amendments.
Also approved by all members present were Resolution No. 535 demanding to NDC-Tagum to release the school credentials of the affected nursing graduates, Resolution No. 536 demanding for the refund of the collected sum from the P10,000 review fee and P7,500 mock board exam fee, Resolution No. 537 urging CHED to investigate the alleged 20-percent interest charged on late payments on financial obligations of the nursing graduates, Resolution No. 538 urging CHED for the non-renewal of the school’s permit to operate as nursing school, and Resolution No. 539 manifesting the city government’s stand never again to enter into contract of affiliation with NDC-Tagum.
The city council amended to approve the last Resolution No. 540 urging the city mayor to revoke the NDC-Tagum’s business permit to operate a nursing course only from a business to operate as an entire school following debate between Councilor Millan and Councilor Rey Salve.
Salve contended that it was still premature to censure the school entirely with the proposed resolution, citing that the lower year nursing students and other courses might be affected which would result to transfers to other schools or closure of the school.
Millan however contended that the resolution was only an expression of sentiment of the body following tedious five sessions of deliberating the issues. He subsequently agreed for amendment after Vice Mayor Allan Rellon called for on-recess caucus attended by him.
During the question hour where Dr. Palec was the one always grilled by Millan, the gallery was filled of nursing graduates and their parents and several faculty members of the school.
Millan reminded present school officials on the standing CHED Memorandum Circular No. 13, series of 2006 which prohibits schools to force their students to take up review classes to schools not of their own choice and to withhold credentials after being cleared of all academic and financial obligations.
Palec denied charges that they were forcing the graduates to take the in-house nursing review and the mock board exams and the withholding the graduates’ credentials saying that they have only school’s requirements and obligations to satisfy.
He denied forcing the graduates to take the in-house nursing review and mock board requirements which he said have been implemented in the school for three years now, drawing some heckles from the gallery.
But Palec immediately shot back to those in the gallery not to make disturbance during the question hour saying “it’s against the law”.
He added that they made the review in house with Kaplan Review Center as the school’s choice saying that “it somehow gives them the confidence in the school … that (the graduates) can pass the board exams”, adding that they also noted of the strict requirement of the Professional Regulation Commission of closing nursing schools based on the failing rate of graduates.
CHED OIC regional officer Eduard Aquino, on the other hand, said that his office has made efforts in negotiating with school officials to release the graduates’ credentials but the latter was insistent of enforcing their own school policies.
He informed that NDC-Tagum officials had “committed lapses” contrary to CHED policies.
Aquino though said that CHED lawyers would be coming this week to investigate the case and make “final word” on the matter.
Both Palec and the school human resource director Evelyn Dismas said respectively they made “shortcomings” and “lapses” in informing the graduates’ parents.
For the several allegations, Palec dared graduates to go to court to settle the issues.
On his parting shot, Palec said that they may release the graduates’ credentials with notation “for employment purposes” and not “for board exams” unless the fees for nursing review and mock board exams are paid.
He implied however that the school officials would still meet to study on whether to refund the fees or not.
Because of the controversy, at least 52 nursing graduates of the school are sure they could no longer take the slated Nov. 30 nursing board exams since their credentials were already withheld for not paying the said fees and as the deadline of application to take the board exam already lapsed a month ago.
It was learned that some 208 nursing students graduates from NDC-Tagum last March and unaccounted number of whom had resorted to executing promissory notes with the school for the contended fees in order to secure school credentials needed for the board exams.
Also present yesterday were Councilors Allan Zulueta, De Karlo “Oyo”, Nicandro “Nickel” Suaybaguio, Mylene Baura, Joedel Caasi, Vicente “Enting” Eliot Sr. and Robert “Tete” So. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Silence would be observed for now by both camps of Compostela Valley Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya and Boardmember Maricar Zamora-Apsay on who of them is rightful to be standard-bearer for fielding by the unified Lakas-CMD party- but only until January.
In a report carried by a daily in Davao City, Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy said both of the congressional wannabes who earlier both declared to be running for the congressional post in the first district have agreed to abide with a party decision on who to field for the post.
The governor said that the Lakas-CMD party will make a formal announcement of its decision in January.
Also, a source close to Lakas-CMD provincial leaders said that both agreed not to talk to the media on the issue “so that energies would not be wasted by anyone of them.”.
The source said that the party will hold a caucus by December especially to resolve it and strike consensus and agreement so as not to divide the party in the first district.
Earlier, last-termer Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora said that he would be sticking to the agreement on July 1, 2007 forged by him, daughter Maricar, Uy and Gentugaya for Maricar vie for the congressional post while Ramil would seek for reelection in his current post by 2010.
The suggestion that in order for the party not to be divided in the first district Maricar would instead take the vice gubernatorial bid while Cong. Way Kurat take the mayoral bid in Compostela town was earlier thumbed down by the congressman, saying that the said agrement was already “a solution that has been there.”
Meanwhile, Boardmember Moran Takasan in an interview said that the second district runs smoothly without political quivering thus far as Cong. Rommel Amatong is not facing a challenger at this early from within the party.
Earlier, former Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero said that he would still be running “either-or” meaning either for a return bout for the congressional post or for gubernatorial bid. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
