THE PLOT THICKENS. Kevin Damalerio posts photographs on social media as he makes an allegation that the sacks (encircled, photo 1) containing the rice supplies provided by the Provincial Government of Bohol are similar to the sacks (encircled, photo 2 and photo 3) of the rice supplies disposed of at the dumpsite in Ubay town. In photo 1, Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (extreme left, encircled) is shown with Gov. Arthur Yap (2nd from left), Ubay mayor Costan Reyes (2nd from right) and former Senior Board Member Jovanna Jumamoy (extreme right).  The solon and the Ubay mayor were the ones who received the rice supplies from the provincial government according to Kevin Damalerio. The issue on the spoiled rice supplies surfaces anew as the Province of Bukidnon belies the allegations made by Aumentado. The solon asserts that the rice supply donated by the Province of Bukidnon got wet and thus no longer fit for consumption and were disposed of. However, the Province of Bukidnon denies having donated rice supplies to Ubay. Photos grabbed from the post of Kevin Damalerio

The Province of Bukidnon belied 2nd District Cong. Erico Aristotle “Aris” Aumentado’s claims on the relief assistance allegedly given by the said province for Ubay’s typhoon victims, based on the post of Gov. Arthur Yap’s political officer Kevin Damalerio.

Damalerio, who is also an Executive Assistant to Yap, in his post on March 11, 2022 revealed the position of the Province of Bukidnon regarding the alleged spoiled relief goods given purportedly to the town of Ubay.

AUMENTADO’S ASSERTIONS 

Aumentado, in a radio interview on Jan. 13, 2022 with broadcaster Tiburcio Bullecer Jr. on the station-produced radio program, Inyong Alagad over station dyRD-AM, asserted that the Province of Bukidnon has given spoiled sacks of rice to the local government unit (LGU) -Ubay.

According to Aumentado, these were the same sacks of spoiled rice that were allegedly stored at the LGU-owned bus terminal in Ubay as shown in the video that was posted by Damalerio on Jan. 12, 2022.

Aumentado, during the interview said: “Ang tinuod mga kaigsoonan, kanang ilang gipalakaw nga naay bugas nga gipanglabog kono, matud sa taga LGU Ubay, hinatag kana sa Province of Bukidnon. Pag-abot didto sa lungsod sa Ubay, basa nana. So laktud pagka istorya ang-ang ug ihatag ug tiwas sa mga katawhan nga madaot man ang tawo.”

After Aumentado aired the above statements during the radio program, the program host-Bullecer, clarified such statements by asking, “Buot ipasabot Congressman, dunay picture nga gipakita si Kevin [Damalerio] nga nangabasa nga mga bugas nga matud pa gikan sa Provincial Government ug wa gi-distribute sa LGU Ubay. Karon matud nimu, ang maong mga nangabasa nga mga bugas gikan na sa Province of Bukidnon, wa na gi release tungod kay nangabasa na.”

Based on the interview, Aumentado affirmed his accusation by saying, “Mao nay tinuod.”

The solon added, “Kanang bugas nga gikan sa Bukidnon pag-abot anha dinhi sa Bohol basa nana, unya gihatud sa lungsod sa Ubay basa na gyud kaayo ang 18 ka sako. So unsaon man kuno nila na basa naman so na damaged ang maong bugas [gikan] sa Province of Bukidnon.”

BUKIDNON’S REACTION

Relative to this accusation by the solon, the Provincial Government of Bukidnon issued a certification on Feb. 7, 2022 through the Office of the Provincial Governor of Bukidnon-Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division which was signed by Israel Johan M. Damasco Jr., of the abovementioned office.

The certification states, “the Provincial Government of Bukidnon – Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division have not sent donation in the form of goods- spoiled SACKS OF RICE to the Municipality of Ubay, Province of Bohol as alleged by Congressman Erico Aristotle Aumentado, Bohol 2nd District Representative. Several municipalities and 1 city in the Province of Bukidnon were likewise affected by Typhoon Odette thus extending our assistance to other provinces is constraint.”

The Office of the Provincial Governor of Bukidnon issued this certification following an order from Atty. Paul Vincent G. Villegas, the Provincial Legal Officer of Bukidnon and OIC Provincial Administrator, in a directive letter issued on February 7, 2022, addressed to Damasco, which states, “there were allegations made by Bohol’s 2nd District Congressman Erico Aristotle Aumentado that the Provincial Government of Bukidnon donated and sent spoiled bags of rice. Accordingly, the bags of rice that were donated by us were already wet and were not in good condition upon receipt in Ubay town.”

The directive letter further states, “In light of these allegations, the Provincial Government of Bukidnon is inclined to send a response to clear the name of our Province and deny this unfounded claims and allegations by the above-mentioned Congressman.”

DAMALERIO’S POST

On March 11, 2022, Damalerio posted the video of the interview of Aumentado alongside the letter of Villegas addressed to Damasco and the certification from the Office of the Provincial Governor of Bukidnon which was signed by Damasco dated February 7, 2022.

Damalerio also attached a picture of Gov. Yap and former Senior Board Member, now congressional candidate Jovanna “Jaja” Jumamoy during the turnover of relief food packs to LGU-Ubay.

The relief packs were received by Mayor Constantino “Costan” Reyes and Aumentado, according to Damalerio.

Damalerio encircled the sacks of rice in the photo he posted on social media that were turned over by Gov. Yap and compared these to the pictures of the sacks of rice that were allegedly thrown at the dumpsite of Ubay.

Damalerio wrote, “Base sa statement ni Aris Aumentado atol sa interview niya sa Inyong Alagad, wala niya gihimakak nga adunay mga bugas nga nabasa ug gilabay sa dumpsite didto sa lungsod sa Ubay. Ang iyang gibuhat, nangita nalang siya ug kapasanginlan sa maong panghitabo, mao nga namasangil siya nga gikan sa Province of Bukidnon ang maong bugas, ug basa na daw daan ang bugas.”

Damalerio added, “Aduna koy picture nga gi-attach sa ubos nga nagpakita nga mismo ang mayor sa Ubay nga si Costan Reyes uban ni Aris Aumentado ang nidawat sa hinabang nga gihatod mismo ni Gov. Art Yap ug former Senior Board Member Jaja Jumamoy.”

Damalerio quipped, “Kung pananglitan gikan sa Province of Bukidnon ang mga bugas nga nabasa ug gilabay sa dumpsite, nganong pareha man ug nawong ang sako sa bugas nga gilabay sa dumpsite ug sako sa bugas nga giturnover ni Gov. Art Yap ug Jaja Jumamoy ngadto kang Reyes ug Aumentado?”

DAMALERIO: WHERE IS THE LIST OF BENEFICIARIES?

In his post, Damalerio emphasized again his request for the Municipality of Ubay to release the list of beneficiaries who received the food packs from the Provincial Government of Bohol as claimed by the LGU and Aumentado.

Damalerio wrote, “Matud sa LGU Ubay, ilang gipanghatag ang hinabang gikan sa probinsya.”

Damalerio quipped, “Matud ni Congressman, ‘hagbay rang na-tae’…”

Damalerio further wrote, “Apan, gikan niadtong Jan. 12 [2022] hangtod karon wala pa makapagawas ang LGU Ubay ug listahan sa mga nakadawat aron atong ma verify kung tinuod ba gyud nga gihatag nila.”

Damalerio stated, “Kinahanglan mopakita sila ug dokumento nga naay pangalan, pirma ug address sa nakadawat kay atong suta-on kun tinuod ba nga nakadawat sila sa ayuda gikan sa kagamhanang probinsyal sa Bohol. Naa ba pud kahay ikapakita?”

As of 1 am of Mar. 12, 2022, in just a matter of 12 hours from posting, Damalerio’s post garnered, 3,600 shares and multiple reactions and comments, based on The Bohol Tribune’s observation.

BACKGROUND

Damalerio made an expose on Jan. 12, 2022, saying that allegedly, the relief food packs given to LGU Ubay were not distributed to the people.

Damalerio posted a video, showing multiple sacks of rice that were stored in an LGU-owned facility.

Another picture was also posted showing that some of the sacks of rice were thrown at the municipal dumpsite because these sacks of rice were already wet and spoiled due to heavy rains.

Aumentado reacted to the post of Damalerio threatening the latter that the solon will press charges over false accusations.

On the next day, Aumentado was interviewed in the Inyong Alagad program over dyRD. The solon denied the accusations of Damalerio and accused the Province of Bukidnon to have given allegedly spoiled food aid to Ubay, Damalerio said.

The Bohol Tribune has tried repeatedly to reach Aumentado to get his reaction the matter.

However, this newspaper was unable to reach the solon as of press time.

The Bohol Tribune is open and will always welcome any comments coming from Aumentado regarding the issue.