L-Ray: House bill to derail CamSur progress

MANILA, Philippines - Camarines Sur (CamSur) is slowly making its mark as a top tourist destination in the international arena.

CamSur, according to recent figures, became the country’s top tourism hub in terms of visitor arrivals last year, thanks to aggressive marketing and word of mouth.

But its bid as a top eco-tourism destination is being threatened by the bill filed by Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella seeking to create a new province out of Camarines Sur, said Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund “L-Ray” Villafuerte.

He said the proposal could seriously hurt not just the tourism development plan of the province but its progress as well.

Villafuerte was referring to House Bill 4728 creating the new province of Nueva Camarines from the fourth and fifth districts of CamSur. 

“CamSur is much better now in terms of progress and development, why divide it? The bill is a setback for the province as we have already made inroads and put CamSur on the international tourism map. The proposal to split the province is plain gerrymandering on Fuentebella’s part and he’s imposing it on the people,” Villafuerte told The STAR in an interview last Thursday.

Under HB 4728, Nueva Camarines will comprise Caramoan, Garchitorena, Goa, Presentacion, Siruma, Sagnay, San Jose, Tigaon, and Tinambac towns in the fourth district; and Balatan, Baao, Bato, Buhi, Bula, and Nabua towns and Iriga City in the fifth district.

Villafuerte said Fuentebella is only after his own vested interest.

He expressed confidence though that the move will not prosper because the people of CamSur are against it.

“It will lose in the plebiscite because it is unpopular. There’s no clamor for it, there’s no need and no direct benefit. This is just plain gerrymandering,” he said.

He cited a similar failed proposal in 2007 to divide Quezon province and create Quezon del Sur. 

Villafuerte believes that Fuentebella’s bill will lose steam and will be opposed in the Senate.

Besides, he said the move will be costly, as it will require an additional P800 million to create a new province.

“Do you know that it will take a lot of money to create a new province? Just imagine you have to establish 16 new government departments in a new province. This is an additional financial burden to the government, to the taxpayers,” he said.

Villafuerte said Fuentebella’s move is part of an overall strategy to malign him and portray him as a bad governor, much like the corruption complaint filed against him by provincial board member Cesar Batalla.

Last Monday, Batalla filed a complaint before the Office of Ombudsman that Villafuerte approved the purchase of fuel that was allegedly not delivered.

Villafuerte denied the allegation that he used P20 million in public funds to purchase fuel.

“It’s saddening that I’m being subjected to black propaganda (and) harassment. We are trying to do good in government but because of envy, people are trying to malign my name. They are portraying me as a bad governor. I will continue to answer the allegation and sue Batalla,” he said.

Batalla alleged that Villafuerte spent more than P7 million to run generator sets in four different facilities owned by the province.

The complaint also alleged that fuel was spent for MV LRAY’s (catarman) 121 trips to ferry passengers within the province from June to October last year. However, only seven trips were supposedly made during the period.

The complaint sought Villafuerte’s preventive suspension for six months pending the investigation.

In his defense, Villafuerte said what Batalla presented was just a Commission on Audit (COA) observation that does not necessarily mean that funds were indeed misused. 

“Isa siyang bayaran (he’s a paid hack) and you can quote me on that. Why did I say he’s a paid hack? Because four years ago, he talked to my cousin and he said he would drop all the cases he filed against me in exchange for a certain sum,” he alleged.

Villafuerte said Batalla filed nine complaints against him in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011, and seven had been dismissed.

“If it’s just COA observation, it means there’s just a deficiency on the documentation. It’s not the COA itself which declared that I have been misusing funds,” he said.

“I have been charged based on observation. It’s trial by publicity. I have not even received a copy yet of Batalla’s complaint,” he said.

“They also said we are using the tax money from ‘Survivor.’ That is not true; the tax goes directly to the province,” he said.

Villafuerte said, “The sad part really is CamSur is being affected. We are trying to promote CamSur as a friendly tourist destination but these people, they are trying to destroy and set back our plans. Well, I don’t have to worry, kayang kaya ko naman ito (I can withstand this). I just have to focus on our upcoming events like the Ironman, the Ad Congress and the ‘Survivor’ show.”