COJUANGCO UPDATES

FORMER Fifth District Rep. Mark Cojuangco has sought a probe of government funds used in linking highways to remote areas–but which benefited only certain top provincial officials.
“Why don’t you investigate this anomaly? There are many of that in Pangasinan,” Cojuangco told local newsmen in an interview.

“Why don’t you investigate this anomaly? There are many of that in Pangasinan,” Cojuangco told local newsmen in an interview.

Cojuangco said since his detractors want to pursue investigation of anomalies, he can start exposing the anomalies under the present administration.

“So buksan na natin nang todo-todo (Let’s open it to the fullest),” he demanded.
Reporters tried to get Cojuangco’s reaction on videos uploaded in Facebook, obviously made by his detractors, showing selective footages in his town of Sison and comparing them to Bautista town. The videos were clearly intended to put him and his wife, Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, in a bad light.

Cojuangco’s opponent in the next gubernatorial poll hails from Bautista.

“I don’t do mudslinging. They’re the ones doing it to me because they can’t find any issue against me, because I’m honest in serving the people,” Cojuangco said.

Cojuangco gave some hints about vast tracts of land in far-flung areas bought with government funds used by someone reportedly to develop roads leading to that person’s properties.

On the other hand, he said the road in Barangay Labayug, Sison, where the Cojuangco family-owned Northern Cement Corporation (NCC) is situated, remains undeveloped, as projected in the video, “because that is a private road and no government fund was used because that is prohibited by law”.

Cojuangco said the lot and the road on top of it owned by NCC, have been used by the people for free for many decades already.

“Ano’ng kinalaman ng kalsadang yan eh private road yan (What has that road got to do when it’s a private road)?” Cojuangco said.

“Kung abusado po akong pulitiko, ginamit ko ang pondo ng gobyerno para maayos ang isang pribadong kalsada (If I were an abusive official, I would have used government funds to have a private road developed),” he said.

“Pero kung meron kayong makita na ginamit ang pondo ng probinsya para gumawa ng mga kalsada para ikabit ang highway sa mga pribadong lupa na iilang opisyal lang ang nakikinabang, di ba dapat n’yong itanong kung tama ba yun o mali? (But if you see government funds being used to build roads to connect a highway to a private lot that would benefit only few officials, isn’t it proper to ask if that is right or wrong)?”, Cojuangco asked.

The former congressman also took a swipe at those behind the malicious video comparing the towns of Sison and Bautista.

He said he and his wife Rep. Kimi Cojuangco faithfully shared with Bautista their funds for the district.

A good look at projects they have helped put up in Bautista would show the construction of the two biggest buildings in the said town, beautiful classrooms, decent restrooms, barangay roads, and many others financed by their congressional funds, he said.

Cojuangco said they planned to build a new municipal building in Sison because the existing structure is already too old and dilapidated. They bought a lot owned by the Catholic Church where the new town hall would be built along the municipal plaza area, which now boasts of beautiful surroundings.

But they were convinced to have the plaza remain a recreational area for the public and put the town hall near the highway where it can be accessible to all.

Although there is an available fund from an approved loan still unused for the town hall project, they haven’t started the project yet because they are still looking for a good site and they want to ensure there would be sufficient funds.

“We’re not in a hurry. We wanted to make sure we could put up a beautiful and durable building,” he said.

He added, “And so what’s the point? There are many places in Sison that have been developed and beautified but they zeroed in on everything that is ugly. Their comparison is not fair.”

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