3 Lapu-Lapu City dads get death threat

CEBU, Philippines —  At least three councilors of Lapu-Lapu City have received death threats.

The two councilors claimed they were threatened for asking on how the city government had spent funds following report on deficits in the 2022 audit report while the other one cited political reason for the death threat.

Councilors Flaviano Hiyas Jr. and Michael Dignos claimed they were alarmed on the Commission on Audit report that the city incurred a P146.7 million deficit in 2020.

“We hope this will not happen in 2021 COA report,” said Dignos adding that the actual deficit is P169.6 million but this was offsetted by what was left by the Special Education Fund.

Councilor Josie Hayashi also said she got death threat after she refused to go back as ally of Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan.

“Sorry Mrs. Hayashi papatayin ka na namin marami ka nang kasalanan sa mundo. Niloko mo ang mga tao. Bastos ka, hindi ka maging mayaman dito. Punyeta ka isang bala ka lang. Tago ka ngayon. Pinamonitor ka namin mabuti wala kang bodyguard,” Hayashi read the death threat sent to her.

Unapproved budget

The city’s Annual Investment Plan and the Annual Budget remained unapproved even after several sessions of the City Council were conducted for such purpose.

Hiyas, chairman on the committee on finance, in a press conference yesterday said it is not the council’s intention not to approve these two important measures but turned the table to Chan as the one who caused of its non-approval.

“We heard nga niingon sila nga naay marching marching order (from our camp) nga dili aprubahan ang annual budget but dili na tinuod,” said Hiyas.

Hiyas recalled that sometime last year, he was asked by the mayor after he attended the budget hearing for the approval of the annual budget before the end of 2021.

He assured the mayor that he, together with the city councilors, will approve provided that the department heads must be present during the session together with the documents that they have been asking.

Councilor Rico Amores earlier said that the approval of the annual budget was delayed after the mayor issued a memorandum prohibiting department heads to attend the council’s session without his approval.

With the mayor’s memo, the City Council is not bent on approving the AIP as nobody can explained to the latter on how their allocation will be spent.

Hiyas narrated that during the City Council sessions on October 21 and 28, 2021, November 4, 11, and 18, 2021; December 1, 9 and 20, 2021; and January 6, and 20, 2022, the department heads they asked to attend did not show up on those dates.

“Nganong kami man ang pasanginlan nga wala namo giaprubahan ang AIP ug ang annual budget? Ang mayor man ang nag order nga dili na sila patungahon. Nangita ra mi og subay kung asa gigasto ang kwarta sa siyudad? Isip konsehal ug gipili sa katawhan sa siyudad, obligasyon namo ng tukion kana kay kung mangita og subay ang katawhan naa mi ikatubag,” Hiyas said.

Hiyas added that during the January 13, 2022 council session, they also asked the presence of the city treasurer but did not show up also.

“Ang city treasurer wala sad nitunga kay mangutana unta pila ang donation nadawat sa siyudad for Typhoon Odette but was told nabasa daw ang mga document,” Hiyas said.

He said that they learned that the city received P217 million from President Rodrigo Duterte, another P45 million from the National Housing Authority and other donations from private organization that they don’t know what are those donations.

“Any donations moagi unta na sa City Council kay for donations to be valid it has to be accepted by the mayor but with authority from the City Council to accept such donations,” Hiyas further said.

The majority of the members of the City Council are allies former mayor and now Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Representative Paz Radaza who is running again for mayor against Chan.  —   GMR (FREEMAN)