‘Corruption’ label angers Ilonggos
City council drafts persona non grata resolution vs Drilon accuser
ILOILO — Residents of the city and province of Iloilo are hurt by the “corruption” tag made by Manuel Mejorada, who has accused Ilonggo and Iloilo native, Senate President Franklin Drilon of plunder in connection with allegations that the construction of the Ioilo International Convention is overpriced.
“The issue is not about overpricing or plunder anymore— there was no evidence. The issue has evolved into the sweeping and vile attack on Iloilo and the Ilonggos as a whole,” declared Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
During the November 13 Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged overpricing of the Iloilo Convention Center that was partly funded by Drilon, former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada labeled Iloilo as the country’s “bird’s nest of corruption.”
“I was totally hurt when he said that. It’s not true. Iloilo would not have developed as it is right now if corruption exists. Mr. Mejorada stained the Iloilo City with his own personal interests,” said Steve Sobrevega Abordaje.
While the controversial Iloilo Convention Center is located in the Western Visayas regional capital Iloilo City, Ilonggos are concerned that Mejorada’s derogatory “bird’s nest of corruption” label could give the entire province of Iloilo – which is comprised of 42 towns and one component city – that kind of reputation.
“His statement is a blatant insult to all of us, Ilonggos,” said an apparently incensed Irma Lim, an accountant. “He made us look stupid and like idiots who do not know what corruption is. It seems as if that accusation by Mejorada makes us accomplices of a corrupt government. We should not allow this person to destroy our integrity as Ilonggos.”
Meanwhile, there are those in Iloilo who do not necessarily support Drilon, but who have, nonetheless, reacted negatively to Mejorada’s statement which, they say puts Iloilo in a bad light.
Some also expressed that Mejorada does not really care about Iloilo because he is not a real Ilonggo, being someone who hails from Capiz province.
Meanwhile, the Iloilo City council is now drafting a persona non grata resolution against Mejorada for alleging that the construction of the Iloilo Convention Center is highly overpriced.
City councilor Liezel Zulueta said she is willing to spearhead the resolution being drafted by councilor lawyer Eduardo Peñaredondo during the Sangguniang Panglunsod regular session on Tuesday, November 18, to show the indignation and natural reaction of Ilonggos against Mejorada’s statement that Iloilo is a “bird’s nest of corruption.”
While Mejorada was a good friend of his late father, former Oton mayor Nene Zulueta, she said his sweeping statement and generalization of Iloilo as a corruption nest is a hard slap on the face and “is unacceptable to all Ilonggos.”
Pointed out Zulueta, “I have nothing personal against Mejorada but this is my personal reaction against the city being branded as a bird’s nest for corruption which is very unfair for all of us.”
Mejorada was summoned by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee last Nov. 13 to shed light on his allegations that the convention center is grossly overpriced.
Mejorada, who used to be a consultant for Drilon, filed plunder charges against the Senate President, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, TIE- ZA Administrator Mark Lapid and their staff including DPWH Regional Director Edilberto Tayao and architect Willy Coscolluela on the alleged overpriced building earmarked to host two Senior Ministerial Meetings of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Iloilo City on September and October 2015.
However, upon grilling by the senators, Mejorada admitted that he has no official documents to back up his claim but had only copied press releases and items downloaded from the Wikipedia and which he placed inside three pieces of luggage which he brought with him to the Senate hearing last Thursday.
Zulueta said Mejorada was a “pitiful sight” when, after five hours at the Senate hearing, he finally admitted, that he had no evidence to support his charges of plunder, graft and malversation of funds against Drilon, Singson and Jimenez, et. al.
“Observers seated at the Senate gallery were visibly disappointed with Mejorada. Some observers laughed while others were irritated, saying it turned out to be a useless investigation with the senators spending time and effort on something without substance,” said Zulueta. (With a report from PNA)