Kevin Damalerio
A top Capitol aide, Kevin Damalerio visited Ubay town and was warmly welcomed by the people in the town on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, to bring and distribute relief goods, despite the eclaration of the said town’s Sangguniang Bayan (SB) that he is a persona non grata.
“I went to Ubay this morning! Imbis nga magdumot o masuko, nitabang nalang ko sa katawhan sa Ubay. Kinsay inyong gihadlok?,” Damalerio said in his post on Facebook after his visit to the town.
He continued: “Kahinumdom ko sa giingon sa akong apohan, “kung bugal-bugalan, tamayon o pasakitan ka sa uban. Ayaw sila tubayi. Hinuon, pakauwawi sila sa imung kaayo.”
He clarified that his visit to the town is non political, but a move to awaken the town residents to the alleged rude attitude of their leaders.
“Dili man pamulitika ang akong tuyo, [kung dili ang] pagpamata sa katawhan sa pagkawalay batasan sa ilang mga opisyales,” he said.
Damalerio said that the SB’s persona non grata declaration has no effect as he urged the leaders of the town to help the typhoon victims instead of engaging in politics.
“Klaro kaayo, walay epekto ng inyong persona non grata, puro nalang mo pamulitika! Tabangi sa intawn ang katawhan,” Damalerio wrote in his post.
On Jan. 26, 2022, Ubay’s SB passed a resolution declaring Damalerio as a persona non grata after the latter posted his allegations that the local government committed malfeasance in the distribution of relief goods. This was in a post that appeared on Facebook last Jan. 12, 2022.
Damalerio added in his latest post: “Naka-anticipate nako daan sa ilang move. Pero nanghinaut ko nga kung unsa ka paspas sila nipagawas ug nilihok sa persona non grata batok nako, hinaut nga sama pud kapaspas ang ilang lihok aron matabangan ang ilang katawhan. Nakahatag naba sila ug tabang sa katawhan? Ambot lang.”
Damalerio quipped: “Nasuko sila kay nitug-an ko sa tinuod? Imbis nga ilang tul-iron ang ilang sayop. Namulitika naman hinuon ug samot. “
He then issued a challenge to Ubay’s leaders by saying: “Kung dili tinuod ang akong gipost, ipagawas ng listahan sa nakadawat sa relief food packs gikan sa Kagamhanang Probinsyal kay atong i-verify. Nganong di man mo kapagawas ana? Ang ilang pagdeklara nako nga persona non grata klaro nga pamulitika. They want to cover their asses. Unsa pud ang ilang grounds? Kinsay may mga myembro sa Sangguniang Bayan sa Ubay? Diba majority nila mga kaalyado ni Aris Aumentado? Posibli kaha nga gisugo sila ni Aris Aumentado aron buhaton to? Gani, mismo si Cong. Aris Aumentado nanghulga nga ikiha ko. Ngano kaha? Naa ba koy gipanganlan sa akong post? Or naigo lang? Pabulokay nalang ta ani,” Damalerio, an executive assistant to Gov. Arthur Yap wrote in his Facebook post.
He claims that because of his post several town residents have already awaken and saw the real score.
Furthermore, Damalerio, in his post, chided media outlets dyRD/Bohol Chronicle by saying that these media entities have become the “propaganda arm” of Cong. Erico Aristole Aumentado.
“Sa duha ka higayon ninyo gihisgutan sa kahanginan ang isyu ug gibalik-balik pa ninyo ug mention akong pangalan, nakatawag ba mo nako? Wala ninyo kuhaa ang akong side. One-sided mo!” Damalerio said in his post.
Moreover, Damalerio said that he is not afraid as long as he is telling the truth. He then urged the public to continue helping the people of Ubay and avoid coordinating the relief efforts through the local government unit. He then thanked his donors who provided the relief goods which he distributed to the residents of barangay Fatima in Ubay.