Home | To bottom

Multi-sectoral groups back Mayor Yaranon

BAGUIO CITY (July 6) — Malacañang’s reported one-year suspension of Baguio City Mayor Braulio Yaranon has stirred up division in the city once more, but this time consolidated support for Yaranon as groups and individuals expressed support for the chief executive.

Yaranon’s suspension over allegations of culpable violations of the Constitution, dishonesty, oppression, misconduct and abuse of authority ordered by the Office of the President on June 26 catches everyone into taking sides for or against the mayor.

First to publicly hoist their flag in support of Yaranon are the militant and leftist groups in the city that claimed Yaranon’s suspension is not only about the long sought and “dream” by private parking firm Jadewell Systems Parking Corporation to oust the mayor who had staunchly fought them. 

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) affiliate Tongtongan Ti Umili-Cordillera Peoples Alliance (TTU-CPA) which had allied with the mayor even during his campaign in the 2004 polls traces back moves to unseat Yaranon from day 1 because of his advocacy against graft and corruption which were allegedly committed by the past administrations often referred by the mayor as Domogan-Vergara tandem.

In many occasions earlier, Yaranon referred to Baguio Rep. Mauricio Domogan and former Mayor Bernardo Vergara as “mafia” who according to him had a long history of graft and corrupt practices that compromised Baguio citizens’ welfare.

Public concern

Although we don’t take part in political squabbles and personality rumbles, Chie Galvez, secretary general of the TTU-CPA said, “We are engaging in the issue of suspension because it is a public concern”.

Without mincing words, Galvez claimed that Domogan, Vergara and their cohorts are afraid that the evidence Yaranon against them are enough to implicate them in several cases of graft and corruption which would necessarily mean a dreadful end of their political careers. And the four year old Jadewell contract is part of this scam, she claimed. 

Galvez also resurrected the stalled Baguio market development plan by Uniwide where at least P50 million in grease money allegedly went to the pockets of officials and nothing to the city.  She showed to journalists photocopies of supposed pay-offs to alleged “bagmen” of Domogan including a supposed P10 million fee that was for the city coffers but Yaranon claims the city never received the money.

Galvez claimed that records sneaked in to them show that on January 10, 1995,  Mr. Bonifacio Mitrado, the Head of the Civil Intel Assistance Group in the Office of then Mayor Domogan received a check amounting to P5 million from the Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corporation.  The money was supposedly   as a sign of the firm’s good faith, serious and honest intention with respect to its offer to participate in the bidding for the development of the city market. 

However, this P5 million goodwill money alongside other payments made by Uniwide totaling P52 million to various individuals was not remitted to the City Government, she alleged.

Geraldine Cacho, spokesperson of ORNUS said the list of graft and corruption cases also includes the aborted Camp John Hay casino, the Baguio General Hospital Rotunda Flyover and the Bulk Water Supply Project.  Allegations of pay-offs were also made pointing to the past administrations, Cacho said. “These are cases that need to be clarified and explained to the citizens of Baguio.  Aside from the fact that the people did not gain from these anomalous contracts, these same projects were allegedly maximized for personal purposes at the expense of the public.”   

Galvez together with drivers’ group PISTON leader Carlito Wayas and urban poor group Organisasyon Dagiti Nakurapay nga Umili ti Syudad (ORNUS) vowed to move into Baguio communities to inform the real score behind Yaranon’s suspension.  They also claimed they will not hesitate to go to the streets with other groups in support of Yaranon whom they claim is yet the most reliable politician that fought corruption in the city. 

All of these alleged projects in the city became the object of pronouncements of Yaranon in the past that pointed to alleged “kickbacks” by past administrations.  His public declarations had paid him libel cases, but remained steadfast—”the truth is the best defense”.

“Divisive”

Everywhere, Yaranon’s suspension is the “talk” of the town ­ in coffee shops, jeepney stations, business establishments, professionals and of course among political circles.

Vicemayor Reinaldo Bautista, said to be the immediate beneficiary of the suspension is not in the country but city councilor Daniel Fariñas who is also dean of the College of Law of Bautista family-owned University of Baguio said the vice-mayor had asked him “all the support”. 

Number one councilor Leandro Yangot, a former Yaranon party-mate like Bautista, who becomes the vice-mayor by virtue of the rule of succession, still refuses to comment.  “I might be misconstrued again,” he claimed.

Others in the 14-member city council have yet to give their official statements but certainly, only three members are seen to throw full support to Yaranon ­ Councilors Jose Molintas, Galo Weygan and Faustino Olowan.  The three had consistently been supporting Yaranon versus the “Domogan-Vergara tandem”.

So-called “street people” have yet to be heard but the most vocal also claim divergent views ­either support for the mayor or bringing Vergara back to city hall.

Definitely though, a showdown between these forces is in the offing.  Already, pro-Yaranon forces are planning to pour into the streets while the so-called loyal Domogan-Vergara followers including their well-financed Timpuyog Ti Baguio party are said to be ready anytime. 

“I hope it would not be an Igorot-Ilocano divide,” said Cacho, herself a Kankanaey-Igorot.  Domogan is a native of Igorotlandia in Besao town, Mountain Province while Yaranon hails from Ilocano town of Aringay in La Union.   Now we can test the intelligence of the voters and their sensibilities, Cacho challenged.  She explained, the isuue at hand is not between Igorots or Ilocanos, but of good governance.

Baguio City would lose a courageous leader who is battling one of the biggest wars in our country today – the war against graft and corruption, said Galvez.

Yaranon on Thursday noon confidently said, “We will win this war.”  The war is just starting, the 78 year-old mayor said. And after he met journalists at the city hall, different groups are meeting in different locations in the city to cause a snowball in support not as Yaranon but his crusade against corruption.  Businessman Benedictor Balajadia said he is meeting with different Baguio-born groups, formal and informal, to block the unseating of Yaranon.

As a raging bull out to attack an intruder, Yaranon issued a memorandum at the city hall that he is still the mayor. He also met department heads at the city hall Friday morning to assure them that he is still the mayor pending the finality of the proceedings and following the provisions of the Local Government Code allowing him 30 days to answer.

“I urged them to perform their tasks for the people otherwise they will be answerable to them,” Yaranon claimed.  “We will continue and remain in this office,” he declared. # Ace Alegre for NORDIS

Post your comments, reactions to this article

Home | Back to top