A member of the Bohol Sangguniang Panlalawigan has called on provincial authorities to explain a months-long delay in the release of fuel allowances for board members’ official vehicles, even as he urged fellow elected officials to accept public scrutiny as an inherent part of their duties.
First District BM Atty. Benjie Arcamo, speaking in an interview on the radio program Open Forum on April 1, 2026, said SP members have not received fuel allowances for their government-issued vehicles since late December 2025 — a lapse he stressed predates the current fuel crisis gripping the country.
“The delay started in late December of last year. This is not connected to the fuel crisis, which only happened very recently,” Arcamo said.
Board members are entitled to fuel allowances to cover the costs of official travel across their respective districts.
Arcamo said he was at a loss as to who bears responsibility for the stoppage, but suggested the province’s accounting department or procurement group be asked to provide an explanation.
He said SP members had been repeatedly told the allowances would be released “next week,” only to find that the funds remained unreleased.
Arcamo also raised the possibility that fuel suppliers may have stopped delivering to the provincial government due to unpaid obligations.
“It seems that suppliers are no longer performing the role of supplying fuel to the provincial government. I am not sure if they have not been paid for what they have already delivered,” he said.
Arcamo also addressed the cancelled SP session in March, which failed to push through due to lack of quorum.
He said only six members were present, falling short of the required 50 percent plus one of the total SP membership.
He said the absent members were either on official business or on approved leave, and clarified there are no habitual absentees in the provincial board.
In extreme cases, he noted, officials with excessive absences can be compelled to attend sessions — a measure that has not been invoked in Bohol.
Arcamo emphasized that board members’ primary function is to attend SP sessions to craft policies, measures and ordinances for the provincial government.
He also maintained that public officials must be prepared for scrutiny from constituents they serve.
“Public officials are paid with taxpayers’ money. Public scrutiny comes with the job description,” Arcamo said. “Officials should not be irate when they receive negative comments on their performance. That is part of being an elected official.”
FUEL CRISIS
On the ongoing fuel crisis, Arcamo said local government units in the province are implementing measures to ease the burden on residents, with some LGUs already providing fuel subsidies to the transport sector.
He said while he welcomes these programs, he is concerned that ordinary consumers — not just drivers and operators — are also suffering from rising prices, and that more targeted and sustainable solutions are needed.
He noted that vulnerable sectors are currently being allowed to purchase rice at discounted rates, but warned that delays in broader interventions could compound the problem as inflation continues to rise with no end in sight.
“What is happening now are band-aid solutions. They are unsustainable and only plug current problems,” he said.
Arcamo hinted the SP may craft a supplemental budget to help cushion the impact of the crisis, alongside strict belt-tightening measures that would prioritize only essential projects.
KIDNAPPING IN TAGBILARAN
In a separate development, Arcamo said a meeting has been scheduled for April 6, 2026 to dig deeper into the alleged abduction incident that occurred near the Integrated Bus Terminal in Tagbilaran City in March 2026.
Arcamo, who brought the matter to the SP’s attention through a privilege speech, said he hopes the meeting will help investigators get to the truth of the incident. Law enforcement officials have also been invited to shed light on the case.
The alleged victim, identified in reports as Allan Gamana of Duero town, was reportedly taken by unidentified individuals but was later released in Loay and returned home safely. A barangay official subsequently reported that Gamana had since left his residence.
As of April 1, 2026, police officials had yet to issue a formal report, and authorities have remained tight-lipped about the incident.
The case sparked public outrage, with officials — including a judge — condemning the apparent extrajudicial abduction as a violation of due process.
Bohol Gov. Aris Aumentado has offered a reward for the arrest of the suspects, while City Mayor Jane Yap ordered the relief of Tagbilaran City Police Station chief Lt. Col. John Kareen Escober in connection with the incident.