New petition filed for withdrawal of SP flip-flopping loan resolutions

A Resolution was forwarded by the Marinduque First Saturday Movers, Inc. (MFSMI), to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Marinduque for the withdrawal or repeal of three different “flip-flopping resolutions” authorizing the Governor of Marinduque to negotiate a loan “with no clear amount and specific projects and program of work to be undertaken”. The said three resolutions were adopted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in May, July and August 2012.

A petition for the repeal of the first two SP resolutions (637 and 710) was spearheaded by MFSMI in early August and signed by no less than 1,000 registered voters, yet no clear response has been made by the provincial board to-date. It was Gov. Carmencita O. Reyes who conveyed over local radio her defense of the loan that she said, she herself requested. It will be recalled that from a P250M loan, the original amount authorized by the provincial board to be negotiated, the most recent amount authorized by the board was P150M yet Reyes proclaimed in the interview that she had negotiated for P300M.

In its resolution dated September 13, 2012, the Marinduque First Saturday Movers stated that the P420M total annual budget of the provincial government could go a long way “if properly managed and with projects properly prioritized.” The Movers also stated that Marinduque has a “bloated provincial government bureaucracy to which 80% of our funds goes, and for failure to create business and industry, the local government of Marinduque has assumed the responsibility as the main employment provider for the province”.

As regards the improvement of the Marinduque airport runway, the NGO stressed that it is a priority program of the DOTC and that funding for the improvement and upgrading of the airport is due for the coming year “therefore, repair of our Airport should not be undertaken by the provincial government”, stated Movers. They also stressed that the statement of Reyes “that the P100M from the proceeds of the planned loan to be spent for the improvement of the Marinduque Airport shall be reimbursed by the DOTC is hard to believe as it will contradict government established rules and regulations on expenditures.”

With petitions filed by concerned citizens for the repeal of three resolutions awaiting action by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and with no clear action, proponent Marinduque First Saturday Movers, Inc. (MFSMI), "is bent on pursuing the case to the Commission on Elections who has jurisdiction over the issue", MFSMI stated.

Gen. Recaredo A. Sarmiento (Ret.)

The president of MFSMI is Gen. Recaredo A. Sarmiento II (Ret.), among the members of the board are Bernardo N. Jambalos III, Aristeo M. Lecaroz, Milton Mendoza, Pedrito M. Nepomuceno, Anastacio Revilla, Jr., Victor H. Rodriguez, Ronaldo Tanco.