Village chiefs push probe on ‘ghost’ aid for typhoon victims

A GROUP of barangay chairmen trooped to the City Hall on Apr. 25 to deliver a petition urging the 13^th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) to conduct an investigation regarding the failed distribution of construction materials promised to their constituents allegedly by the National Housing Authority (NHA).

The offer for the construction materials came weeks after super typhoon Yolanda devastated Eastern Visayas including Ormoc. According to Ramon Conopio, village chief of San Jose, some barangay campaign coordinators identified with Rep. Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez went from house to house urging families to fill up a form.

“The said groups, who were allegedly representing Congresswoman Lucy Gomez and her husband Richard Gomez, claimed that the said assistance is already ready for distribution and disseminated two forms to be hurriedly filled up by our constituents as a precondition for the release of the assistance,” the petition reads.

The two-page form, carrying the heading “Serbisyong Gomez sa Ormoc NHA Housing Beneficiary” and bearing the “Seribisyong Gomez” logo, instructed the applicants to list down materials needed for housing repair except cement worth not exceeding P5,000 per household.

Conopio said he and his constituents filled up the form considering they were desperate for assistance that time. He also learned that the same was done in other barangays. It has been more than two years and the thousands who filled up the forms haven’t heard of the offered assistance since then.

The matter has also been a subject of news reports and discussions in radio broadcasts but the Gomez camp has been mum about the issue. The barangay officials are concerned that the filled up forms bearing the applicants’ personal and family details, pictures and signatures might be used for illegal and anomalous purposes.

“We are begging the City Council to conduct an immediate investigation of the aforesaid matter and determine the responsible people behind this orchestrated deception against our constituents and secure back the forms that they have filled up,” the petition, signed by 72 barangay chairmen, concludes.

GIDUWAAN SA YAWA? Ramon Conopio, barangay chairman of San Jose, submits to the 13th Sangguniang Panlungsod their petition seeking an investigation on the undelivered construction materials promised by campaign coordinators identified with Rep. Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez after super typhoon Yolanda.

872 indigent senior citizens receive P1.3M social pension

THE City Treasurer’s Office has concluded the release of social pension for indigent senior citizens. The benefit covers the second quarter of 2015 but the implementing office, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), downloaded the amount only on the first quarter of 2016.

DSWD allocated a total of P1,650,000 for 1,100 beneficiaries aged 80 years old and above identified by the National Housing Targeting System. Each beneficiary received P1,500 stipend to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of members from the aforementioned vulnerable sector.

However, only 872 beneficiaries claimed the benefit worth P1.3 million, leaving P342,000 unclaimed by 228 senior citizens who are believed to have been deceased. Except for the deceased, those already part of the list will be entitled to future pensions in succeeding years. 

Court rules in favor of Ormoc gov’t over land dispute

THE Regional Trial Court Branch 35 here dismissed the case filed by a clan over a 1.74-hectare property being claimed by the local government unit (LGU). The case pertains to the prayer for Cancelation of Annotations, Damages and Attorney’s Fees with Prayer for Preliminary Injunction sought by the descendants of sps. Agaton and Anecita Parilla.

The property in contest is covered by Lot No. 2223 which is almost 1.5 hectares and Lot No. 2224 with a size of 2,109 sq.m. located in Dalindingan St. at the government center right across City Hall. The lots were expropriated and made part of the government center on Jan. 26, 1965 for which the court issued an order of condemnation and writ of possession in favor of the LGU.

Feeling aggrieved, Parilla elevated the case to the Court of Appeals (CA) which affirmed the decision of the Court of First Instance, making it final and executory on June 20, 1979. The CA pronounced that the lots had been long acquired by the LGU by virtue of a decree of expropriation.

Despite the finality of judgment, the heirs of Agaton Parilla refused to give up ownership of the lots years after. They claim they were not given just compensation which was belied by the LGU which says the compensation was deposited at Philippine National Bank and the Court of First Instance.

The heirs also contend that ownership over the property did not pass to the LGU due to its failure to assert its right to possess and as such, the family continues possession thereof. True enough, a settlement continues to occupy the subject lots up to this day.

But Judge Girlie M. Borrel-Yu said her court no longer has jurisdiction over the case considering that the dispute over the lots had long been settled by the appropriate courts. She cited several jurisprudence demanding “that the parties ought not to be permitted to litigate the same issue more than once, that when a right or fact has been judicially tried and determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or an opportunity for such trial has been given, the judgment of the court, so long as it remains unreversed, should be conclusive upon the parties…”

The judge also described as “highly improbable” plaintiff’s claim that they were not paid just compensation. If such was the case, “plaintiff’s recourse is to claim this compensation with the depository bank,” the seven-page decision dated Mar. 29, 2016 read.

Yu further reprimanded the plaintiffs for violating the rule against forum shopping. “Going back to the case at bar, while a certification against non-forum shopping was attached to the instant complaint, the same is not a truthful certification as there was no statement on the filing and judgments in two previous cases, for this alone the court can even dismiss the instant case,” the decision went on.

Finally, Yu wrote that “Every litigation must come to an end once a judgment becomes final, executory and unappealable … To frustrate it by dilatory schemes on the part of the losing party is to frustrate all the efforts, time and expenditure of the courts.”

Farmers complete climate smart field school

Mayor Edward C. Codilla hands a certificate to a
participant who completed the five-month Climate
Smart Farmers' Field School. Others in photo are
(from right) Vilma Patindol, director of Agriculture
Training Institute Regional Training Center-8; Deserie
Joy Orence of Rice Watch and Action Network; and
City Agriculture Officer Joey Cortez.
(Photo by Anthony Rosales)

NON-government organization Rice Watch and Action Network conducted a culmination program for its Climate resilient Farmer School/Climate Smart-Farmers’ Field School (CrFS/CS-FFS) on rice, vegetable and corn. The CrFS/CS-FFS is a non-traditional learning program to increase farmers’ awareness towards the environment especially those related to farming and weather.

A total of 66 farmers from Sabang Bao, Margen and Dayhagan completed the season-long (five months) course that included lectures and hands-on demonstration in their own farms. The lectures taught the farmers to be resilient so that despite the weather changes, they can still adapt and continue to earn income from farming.

During the weekly sessions, farmers learned various ways of sustainable farming that is appropriate to their areas and adaptable to the changing climate. Some of the topics discussed are:

· weather/climate and cropping calendar adjustments,

· system of rice intensification to save on water and seeds costs,

· organic-based soil fertility measures so that farmers don’t need to buy fossil-based fertilizers,

· climate-related risk management through farm diversification such as organic vegetables, organic livestock, root crops and other sustainable crops that would give additional income to farmers, among others.

Did Rama lie on record?

DID Councilor Vincent Rama lie when he insisted that his committee invited Lea Capuyan-Villar, vice president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen (ABC), during their meetings on the senior citizens birthday gift? This question was prompted by an argument over the matter between Rama and ABC President Mariano Y. Corro.

During the latest meeting of the 13^th Sangguniang Panlungsod’s (SP) committee on senior citizens on Mar. 28, Corro asked why former councilor Villar wasn’t invited being the author of Ordinance No. 184 granting P1,500 birthday gift to senior citizens in 2013.

Opposition councilors running for reelection are using as a political issue the requirements in claiming the birthday gift. The city government is of the position that the requirements are meant to safeguard the funds by ensuring that only bona fide Ormocanons receive the benefit.

“We should have invited (Villar) so that she would be the one who will explain why she incorporated this particular provision (requirements) in the ordinance. She is the most logical person who can explain. But unfortunately, she has not been invited,” Corro said.

Corro’s insistence on Villar’s presence piqued committee chairman Rama that he snapped back: “Magsige pa gyud ka’g hisgot anang pangalan anang babaye nga ga-sponsor ani. Kaduha, katulo, kaupat na namo siya tawga niadtong gipanday ta ani, wa man gyud siya pakita!”

But Corro belied Rama’s claim by saying: Akong gipangutana si Villar, tinuod ba nga giimbitar ka? Ingon siya ‘wa ko imbitaha.’ Karon, kung kapakita kamo og naa bay written notice nga nadawat ni Villar unya wala siya mubutho…”

He added: “Dili mahimo nga dili mahisgutan si Villar. Ngano man? Iya tong ordinansa nga maoy atong gitratar dinhi. Magpakahilom lang diay ta?” This author tried to confirm Rama’s statement but his secretary denied sending an invitation letter to Villar.

Corro also said that it should be the councilors, not private citizens who should initiate the move. “This does not speak quite well for us members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod who were not able to initiate, to propose amendments to this ordinance,” he said.

Corro further lamented that the issue has been politicized with the involvement of lawyers Jasper Lucero and Nolito Quilang, both of whom are running for councilors. “It is sad to note that it took a politician to cause the proposal to amend certain portions of Ordinance 184,” he said.

“(It is) very unfortunate that these two gentlemen are candidates in this coming election. And I do not know if the two gentlemen would have taken the initiative in causing the amendment of this ordinance if they were not candidates. That’s why Mr. Chair, it would seem that this move to amend Ordinance 184 becomes politicized,” he went on.