Vergara laments ‘mud-slinging’ by opposing bets

BAGUIO CITY - Despite rules for no black propaganda or ‘mud-slinging’ at the latest Baguio Leaders’ Forum, at least two candidates for the city’s lone congressional district were publicly noticed to have allegedly resorted to this against incumbent Congressman Bernardo Vergara then.

Vergara lamented this, saying, “I thought that all candidates should adhere to the forum rules. Was it because they have no concrete platform of government that two of the three candidates with me then resorted to veiled accusations against us who are in the current administration?”

Earlier, all congressional candidates were very civil in answering the first three rounds of questions regarding national issues during the third part of the Leaders’ Forum held at the Baguio Country last Thursday afternoon.

Before the forum started, its two hosts announced that all answers should be relevant to the questions, must be limited to programs and plans concerning the city, and that black propaganda or mud-slinging shall not be tolerated.

According to incumbent Councilor Nicasio Aliping, who is vying to get the city’s lone district seat in the House of Representatives, “daytoy ti ilawlawag ko, ti trabahoti congressman agpanday ti linteg, haan nga dayta kontrata (this is what I am explaining, the job of a congressman is to forge laws, not public works contracts). Of course, that is a privilege of a congressman. While legislating, ada ti prebelihiyo na nga pondo nga kuna tayo (there is the privilege of what we call a fund), and that is a regular fund of every congressman. Haan nga mapukaw dayta uray nu sino ti mangabak nga congressman. Ada nga ada dayta ta kwarta ti tao dayta (That fund will not disappear whoever wins as congressman. That will always be there because that is the money of the people). “

However, during the same forum, Vergara pointed out that it is not true that he has only been interested in implementing infrastructure projects. He explained that part of the job of a congressman is to appropriate portions of his share of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or to obtain funds from outside sources for projects in his district, but that it is the job of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to bid out and implement them, and not for the official to do it himself.

“There is no corruption involved there,” Vergara stressed, explaining that all major road projects being implemented here were being done upon the instructions of President Benigno Aquino III and not his.

“I appeal to our beloved people of Baguio City to bear in mind to please vote wisely come the election. Vote for people who have the track record, leadership, performance and program of government,” he said.

Vergara was described by both hosts during the forum as “a man who gained prominence for having spearheaded in partnership with Mayor Mauricio Domogan the fast recovery and rehabilitation of Baguio after the devastation wrought by the 1990 killer earthquake.

He was also said to be best described by local residents as “laging maasahan at madaling lapitan (always dependable and easy to approach)” and as the “tried and tested action man of Baguio.”