Second District Representative and Gubernatorial Candidate Erico Aristotle
Aumentado chose not to attend the Candidates’ Forum organized by the Bohol
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) on April 20, 2022 at the Metrocentre Hotel in Tagbilaran City.
The solon, in a radio interview before the forum was held, said he will not attend the said event as he is currently busy with his campaign rallies and sorties in the different towns.
He claimed that as the Bohol Poll results conducted by Holy Name Unviersity (HNU) came out, these showed that he is trailing in the gubernatorial race, thus, he needs to double his effort in campaigning for his candidacy, he said in the interview.
Aumentado also said that instead of attending the forum, he is more comfortable with a sectoral type of presentation for his platform and program of government as such presentation will be more intimate than that of a candidates’ forum such as the one sponsored by the BCCI.
This was the very reason that instead of responding positively to the BCCI invitation, he invited various sectors of society for a breakfast consultation meeting held in his home in Mariviles, Dauis, Bohol.
He added that due to his hectic schedule, he can only afford to meet sectoral representatives at his Dauis residence between 7 and 8 in the morning.
There were reports saying that some of Aumentado’s suporters were unhappy upon knowing that the solon chose not to attend the forum and meet his opponent, incumbent Gov. Arthur Yap, face to face, in order to discuss his (Aumentado’s) plans and platforms of government and to answer questions raised on the spot.
Lawyer Johnson Hontanosas, a staunch critic of Yap also expressed dismay over the solon’s decision to decline the BCCI’s invitation to attend the candidates’ forum.
Hontanosas, in his radio program, denied that he is an ally of Aumentado. On Apr. 20, 2022, over his radio program, Hontanosas said: “Another kabuliyasohan
nga si Aris Aumentado, wa magpakita, wa motubag sa interview or whatsoever. Miingon naman kuno siya matud pa nga okay, nga ni confirm initially.”
Hontanosas added, “Iyang lihay-lihayan ang mga publiko. Dili man si Art Yap iyang gilihay-lihayan, kay publiko man. Unya iyang gihimo nuon, he draw attention sa issue sa iyang mansion.”
Hontanosas was referring to the vlog (video blog) that was posted on the solon’s official Facebook page. In the vlog Aumentado gave a vlogger the opportunity to be shown parts of the “mansion-like” house which the solon owns. The house is built on a sprawling lot in Mariveles, Dauis – a town located in the first district of Bohol despite the fact that he sits as congressman in the second district of the province.
Lawyer Hontanosas further said, “Kanang 700 square meters, dako nang damgo sa mga tawo nga gapuyo ra tawn ug barong-barong ug sa mga tawo nga nalarut ang ilang mga balay sa bagyong Odette.”
“Gi-atubang nalang unta to didto [candidates’ forum] total dili man sila magtinubagay ni Art Yap. Karon sa iyang paglihay anang Art Yap, nahadlok siyag mabintahaan siya sa panubag, Iyang gi-draw ang camera sa iyang hari-anong panimalay”, Hontanosas quipped.
The lawyer asserted, “What do you expect sa mga tawo nga motan-aw? Moingon gyud ang mga tawo nga gwapo ug balay si Congressman. Ambot ug panghambug ba na nga gwapo ug balay. Pero sakyan man gud sa pikas, mapaypayan. Moingon ang pikas nga matay dis-a man siya ug gigasto ana?”
Furthermore,Hontanosas clarified, “Whether mansion na or dili, dako na nga balay; gwapo na nga balay. Imbes unta wala ma highlight, karon nigawas na hinuon hasta litrato sa iyang balay. Kanang iyang balay dili ang-ang. Gwapo nga balay. Ga-area ug 700 square meters ang floor area, so dili gamay. Kung sa taga bukid pa, mako jamo.”
Some netizens couldn’t help but be awed upon watching the vlog of a certain Paulo Rigotti posted on the solon’s Facebook page. Even if the vlog only showed the living room and the solon’s private office, yet, some netizens were amazed at how sophisticated his house is, according to reports.
“It [the house] is nothing but a show of pure elegance, ilt being grandiose and costly”, according to those who saw the vlog.
In an aerial shot, it was shown that the house is huge and sitting on almost one-third of the total lot area.
The vlog also captured the image of a 6-wheeler truck parked at the the front door of the solon’s house.
Some netizens said that the video only confirmed the allegations against the solon, that he owns a house in Dauis, located in the first district of Bohol. Such allegation was earlier tagged as political demolition by the solon’s allies. With the vlogger’s presentation of Aumentado’s house, can the latter claim that the allegation is still part of political demolition?
THE FORUM
While Aumentado chose to skip the candidates’ forum, the event proceeded as scheduled with Yap as the lone candidate for Bohol governor in attendance.
It has been a practice of the BCCI, for several years now, to organize a forum for the candidates and other participants to discuss some key issues that need to be addressed in the province.
Every candidate is given his/her time to expound and present his programs and plans for addressing these concerns in the future when given the opportunity to serve as Bohol’s elected official.
In the forum, Yap was asked several questions by the moderator, Prof. Marianito Luspo, who was sometimes heard as expressing affirmations to Yap’s answers.
In his opening statement, Yap was given 3 minutes to expound as to why Boholanos should reelect him as governor.
He jokingly answered the question, “Nganong ako ang iboto? Tungod kay ako ra ang naa dinhi. Ako ra ang nagpakita ninyo.”
The audience laughed at his [Yap’s] punch line which was an allusion to his opponent who opted to decline the BCCI’s invitation by announcing it first – not to BCCI – but to a broadcaster during a radio interview.
In the question and answer portion, the governor was asked how to help the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) survive and recover from major calamities and natural disasters.
He answered, “Hatagan nato sila ug higayon nga maka-recover ug niining dapita
manginahanglan kita sa tabang sa atong national government nga mahatagan sila ug runway to pay back their outstanding obligations. Sa atong side sa LGU [local government unit], mahimo nga atong i-suspend sa makariyot ang mga charges, fees, penalties bisan ug sulod sa 1, 2 ka tuig ug hatagan sila [the MSMEs] ug funds para makapadayon sa pagtuyok ug paglihok.”
Moreover, on the issue about the environment, Yap said: “Tabangan nato ang atong mga LGUs pag-preserbar ug pagpanalipod sa atong kalikopan sama sa pagsunod sa mga balaod kabahin niini kay mao kini ang tinubdan sa atong turismo. Gawas pa niini, ato usab nga gi-feature ang atong mga local artists bisan sa panahon sa pandemya [ug] pinaagi sa atong Dasig program, ang
ilahang mga talento usa usab sa atong mga garbo, ang atong kaugalingong mga igsuong Bol-anon.”
In the forum, the governor bared his plans to make Bohol a disaster-resilient province, as he said: “Kinahanglan nga maghimo kita ug mga resiliency centers sa nagkalain laing parte sa atong lalawigan hilabi na kadtong mga dapit nga kanunay maigo. Mangita kita ug solusyon sa atong mga kaigsuonan nga dugay na nga namuyo sa maong mga komunidad kay dili ingon ana kasayon nga biyaan ang ilang mga lugar.”
Regarding his plans to rehabilitate and rebuild the province particularly in the areas of agriculture and damaged houses, this is what Yap said: “Kinahanglan nato ang suporta sa national government. Kinahanglan nga mag-realign ug funds
para sa rebuilding para matukod ang mga resiliency centers ug matabangan ang mga mag-uuma ug mananagat nga mabalik ang ilang panginabuhian ug mahatagan ug alternatibong panginabuhi-an. Kinahanglan nga panalipdan ang atong katilingban aron maka-adapt ta sa mga hagit sa climate change.”
As to the issue on the need of an independent power source without compromising the environment and sustainability, this is what the governor said, “Kinahanglan nato mahinumduman nga aduna tay gitawag nga The Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). Sa pagkakaron, aduna na kitay usa ka
power provider nga nakadaog sa bidding para sa atong kaugalingong power supply; atong ihagit ang maong provider nga kinahanglan mahuman nila ang maong proyekto sa panahon nga ilang gihatag. Ubos sa EPIRA law, kita mohatag sa atong suporta kanila sa tanan nilang gikinahanglan para mahuman ang proyekto.”
In the issue of overseeing the enforcement of existing environmental laws such as designation of easements, water pollution, solid waste management, Yap gave his two cents worth by saying, “Makig-alayon kita sa katawhan ug sa atong mga LGUs. Ubos sa balaod, ang atong mga mayors adunay responsibilidad nga mopatuman sa maong mga environmental laws mao nga kita
makig-alayon kanila ug atong i-train ang ilang mga staff sa paagi nga mag-incentivize ta. Mag-join forces ta nila, idungan ang atong mga pondo, mangayo ta ug suporta sa atong mga congressman. Dili ta mag-focus sa penalty kundi mag-focus ra sa pagpanghatag ug incentives sa kada mabuhat nila nga sakto.”
On his strategies to stabilize or regulate prices of basic commodities like fuel, fish, and rice, among others, Gov. Yap quipped, “Law of supply and demand is key when talking about price. Kung abunda ang supply mo-stabilize gyod ang presyo. Sa pagkakaron, kuwang ta ug storage facilities, sa fuel, sa pagkaon. Kinahanglan usab kita nga mag-increase sa atong production hilabi na sa atong mga farmers, hatagan usab nato sila ug buy-back program para aduna silay
seguridad.”
The governor was asked if he is in favor of reclamation projects along the coastlines of Bohol. He answered, “We will have to be very careful. Scarce [ang] resource nato [sa] atong kalikopan. Ang pangutana, if you reclaim what will be the damage to the environment? If you can prove that you will follow all the environmental rules then I will be allowing it but follow the rules. Kinahanglan
usab ang saktong pagpasabot sa katawhan. It is not bad but we have to follow strict guidelines.”
On his plans to encourage investments in the province, Gov. Yap revealed, “We have to show investors that peace and order is safeguarded in our community, [ug] nga adunay food security. Ug [kung] ilang makita nga maayo ang atong pag atiman sa pamilyang Bol-anon, that is something nga maka-awhag sa atong mga investors nga moanhi sa atong lalawigan. It will send them a message that we are friendly.”
When Yap was asked during the forum about his plans to improve the living conditions and bring down poverty incidence in the province in the light of the calamities that Bohol went through in the past years, he readily said, “We have to focus on where the poverty is; motan-aw ta sa atong agrikultura. Kinahanglan tabangan nato atong mga kaigsuonang Bol-anon nga mo-move out sa raw agriculture; kinahanglan ta nga mo-value add. Kita, andam usab nga mopalit sa abot sa atong mga mag-uuma. Ato usab nga i-open ang atong mga market para mapaubos nato ang poverty kay niining paagiha makuhaan ang mga patong, o trading layer [sa] mga middle men. Mas mo-ubos ang presyo sa atong pamaliton. Tabangan nato sila sa pag-proseso aron mapasaka nato ang value sa agriculture.”
With Aumentado’s absence during the forum, the Boholanos now wonder how well can he competently answer these questions from the BCCI.
As it is, Yap, now, has an edge over Aumentado since the former was able to articulate and competently answer and inform the public about his stand and plans on issues that matter to the Boholanos, observers say.
RATINGS GAME
The Bohol Poll data archives show that the net performance rating for reducing graft and corruption plummeted to -36% in 2008 which was during the term of the late former Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado.
Interestingly, 3 former vice governors of Bohol, namely Julius Ceasar Herrera, the late Concepcion Lim and Dionisio Balite, along with a number of Sangguniang Panlalawigan members and heads of offices of the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh), were also charged with violation to graft and corrupt practices before the Sandiganbayan. These officials were serving under the administration of former Gov. Erico Boyles Aumentado.
The Sandiganbayan in 2018, issued arrest warrants and hold departure orders against the 3 former vice governors and several provincial officials.
It can be recalled that the Ombudsman released a suspension order in 2017 and implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The sitting vice Governor in 2017 was Dionisio Balite. He was among those ordered by the Ombudsman to be suspended for 9 months.The suspension order was served after the demise of former Gov. Erico Aumentado. He died in 2012.
The allegation is related to heavy equipment purchase of the provincial government in 2006 and in 2009.
The Commission in Audit (COA) issued an adverse observation memorandum on the procurements stating that it has not gone through the legal and proper process.
With no complainant, the COA forwarded its findings to the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman then acted on the findings of COA which resulted to a filing of information before the Sandiganbayan.
Meanwhile, the data from the Bohol Poll also showed that the 2 past governors started their terms at a negative net satisfaction rating in terms of reducing graft and corruption.
Former Governor Erico Aumentado, started at -18% in 2003 and worsened to -36% in 2008. In his last year in office, it somewhat improved to -24%.
Former Gov. Edgar Chatto started at -12% in 2011 for his net performance rating for reducing graft and corruption. It improved to as high as +24% and maintained a high net performance rating at the end of his term in 2019.
Yap started his term at -3% net satisfaction rating for reducing graft and corruption, based on the Bohol Poll data.
However, Yap’s net satisfaction rating at the start of his term was the highest baseline rating in terms of reducing graft and corruption of any governor of Bohol, past or present, based on the data of the Bohol Poll.