By Gonzalo Duque

 

THE brouhaha about the Dagupan budget between the Sanggunian and Mayor Brian Lim has become a battle of political maneuverings. Without in anyway discussing the legal aspects of this issue, methinks that the SP has the power to demand an itemized budget for the different projects involving the increased P300 million bonanza that will accrue to the city as a result of the Mandanas ruling. But city hall is hesitant to do this and instead accused the councilors of using the alleged requirements as an excuse not to approve the budget.

Both the SP and City Hall have been arguing their sides already for weeks. One side maintains that the mayor should submit the itemized programs for added P300 million income because this is what the DBM circular requires. The other side says the council is merely politicking and wants the Lim administration and the people to suffer in this time of the pandemic.

This is the crux of the matter. The reason SP members are refusing to approve the budget until the requirements are submitted is because of political pragmatism. The councilors believe that if the appropriations are itemized and not in lump sum, Brian will not just be able to dip his fingers in the cookie jar and eat all the cookies by himself and his candidates.

Sino ba naman ang papayag ng ganoon, gagamitin yong lump sum appropriation, eh election time ngayon. Siguradong gagamitin yan sa kampanya laban sa kanila (the majority members of the council).

Let’s wait for the next round. I repeat, I am not talking about the legal issues. I am talking about the practical issues. If the SP members think they are on the right track in demanding for itemized program and the other party does not like to give it to them, then there will be a stalemate. Ang tanging solution dyan… is to have a reenacted budget

And after the elections if the majority still maintains its number, maybe they can enact a supplemental budget for every project that the city mayor intends to do. Halos lahat naman ng LGU ginagawa yan!

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I have not commented on anything about my brother, Health Secretary Pingcoy Duque who was unduly dragged into the Pharmally Deal investigated by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.  But allow me to lift some parts of the statements made by Senator Dick Gordon and Koko Pimentel to the media regarding the issue that proved Pingcoy had no hand in the deal. (Space limitation does not allow us to print the entire unexpurgated statements)

Senator Gordon in an interview by Henry Omaga Diaz of DZMM said: “Ang tanong, si Secretary Duque may kasalanan ba? Nilagay ko yong pangalan niya (Secretary Duque) pero palagay ko pinag-utusan lang siya. Cabinet member siya.

Dapat sinabi na niya sa Pangulo, “Boss, bantayan na natin ito at nag-overprice na ang mga ito, hindi na tama yan”.  Eh, hindi nya ginawa, kaya siya nasama.

Pero sa palagay ko, in fairness to him, trabaho nya yong DOH, walang magaling dyan. Bakbakan talaga itong pandemic sa buong mundo, pati Amerika natatalo nya, pati lahat.”

Senator Koko Pimentel had this to say in an interview by Isa Umali and Nimfa Ravelo in Double B Bantay Balita sa Kongreso (DZBB):

“Kailangan pang pag-usapan kung mayroon ngang betrayal of public trust si President Duterte at dapat kasuhan si Sec. Duque ng plunder kaugnay sa isyu sa Pharmally.

 Hindi maituturing na plunder ang paglipat ng pera ng ahensya papunta sa isa pang ahensya. Sa plunder, kailangang may nanakaw na not less than 50 million pesos. Nanakaw o nawala sa nakaw” 

It’s the two senators saying these, not me.

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As the campaign period for national candidates rolled on February 8 and the local candidates on March 25 yet, I am reminded by what then Mayor Opring Manaois advised  incumbent candidates and aspiring candidates. He said if one would like to win, he or she should have three “taks”—Kontak, Kwartak and Paltak!

It is something synonymous to the three Gs which we know as “Gold, Guns and Goons” and the other Gs –  ‘Guts, Girls, Gods’ (patron upstairs) etc.

Since I know that vote-buying (pakurong in Dagupan and Pangasinan) is still in vogue in this election, I was almost tempted to put up a tarpaulin in front of my house with the message: “ My vote is for sale” … of course, I am only joking!

I am just sending a message to the Comelec: We have a broken system in this country and nothing has yet been done to stop the malpractice.

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