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BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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Saturday, March 4, 2017
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MANILA – Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog admitted his ties to the three beneficiaries of the Iloilo City government’s housing program.
But he insisted that he is not personally related to them and that their selection as beneficiaries went through the right process.
Saying he had nothing to do with screening and approving eligible beneficiaries, the mayor told Panay News on Friday, “It’s the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO) that processes the applications.”
Gloria Puyat, Rouena Ocas and Brayan Ocas are being investigated by the ICUPAO headed by Jeck Conlu.
They were awarded relocation housing units at the Iloilo River Plains Subdivision in Barangay Lanit, Jaro, Iloilo City, but the ICUPAO received reports that they were not displaced by demolitions.
The ICUPAO is prioritizing those living in danger zones and those displaced by demolitions due to government projects.
CONNECTION
According to Mabilog, the three applied and were found qualified.
“Sa tuod nagkadto sila sa akon. Naghambal sila sa akon,” he told Panay News. “Te siling ko sa ila, kon qualified kamo tagaan man kamo sina. After sina, waay na ako nag-entra.”
Mabilog admitted that Gloria is employed as his household help but works “very [irregularly] (because) she is always sick.”
“[She works only] during daytime [and] goes home to her family in the evening,” he said. “They live in a squatter’s area.”
He also clarified that Rouena and Brayan were a married couple but have not worked for his family as “nanny” and “bodyguard,” respectively.
“Brayan never worked for me. Taga-Guimaras sia. Batà sang suki namon nga manog-ginamós,” said Mabilog. “Sang nakakuha sang scholarship sa WVCST, didto nag-estar sa family compound (in Molo).”
WVCST is Western Visayas College of Science and Technology. It is now Iloilo Science and Technology University, or ISAT-U.
“When he (Brayan) graduated in 2006, he left the house (and) went to Bacolod (City) to work,” Mabilog further said. “In 2008, nagbalik sa Iloilo kag ginpangaluyagan ang bata ni Gloria nga si Rouena kag nag-live-in sila sang 2009. Rouena, being the daughter of Gloria, syempre nagakadto sa balay kag gabulig. Ginagaan ko lang.”
‘RELATIVES NOT QUALIFIED’
Mabilog maintained that the three are eligible to the housing program, echoing Conlu’s statement that their application went through the process.
“Ang indi qualified kon pariente ko o utod ko,” said the mayor. “Sulod sila (Gloria, Rouena and Brayan) sa program. It just happened na naga-obra si Gloria sa akon.”
Section 16 of Republic Act 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992, provides that beneficiaries of government housing programs shall have the following qualifications:
* must be a Filipino citizen
* must be underprivileged and homeless
* must not own real property in the urban or rural areas
* must not be a professional squatter or member of squatting syndicates
Under the Iloilo City Regulation Ordinance 95-055, the ICUPAO shall give priority to the following legitimate urban poor:
* those who have cases in court that have become final and executory
* those who have cases in court that are still pending for hearing or disposition
* those who have received a final letter of demand to vacate from private landowners
* those who are occupying lands owned by the city of Iloilo or national government or any of its instrumentalities
* those qualified and legitimate urban poor who want to avail themselves of the program./PN
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