GOV. Erico Aumentado has finally broken his silence – not to engage in a full-blown word war with his Lakas-Kampi-CMD party-mates, but merely to dispel rumors and unfounded accusations in order to ferret out the truth – for the rest of the party members and the Boholanos in general to know in the wake of Monday's press conference. During his weekly forum The Governor Reports simulcast over Tagbilaran City's radio stations, relayed to another in Ubay town and delayed broadcast in another in Carmen town, Aumentado expressed regret that he failed to attend the party press conference because he did not receive an invitation or notice, and because he had to preside over an emergency meeting of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) to address the threat of the El Nino phenomenon. He learned from Sec. Arthur Yap, candidate for congressman of the 3rd District, that the invitation was for a breakfast meeting.

Staunch party man

On the issue of his alleged dalliance with the Nacionalista Party (NP), he said that was his party when he first entered politics. But he changed parties in 1993 when then President Fidel Valdez Ramos (FVR) made his transfer to Lakas a “requisite” for the approval of Bohol's mega projects he had been pushing as a congressman. With the blessings of Nacionalista chair Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco who he intimately calls “Boss,” Aumentado joined FVR's party. “True enough, just one hour after I took my oath as Lakas party member, FVR approved the mega projects for Bohol ,” he said. The signing spelled Government of the Philippines (GOP) counterpart for Phases 1 of the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project (BCRIP 1), Bohol Irrigation Project (BHIP 1) and the Leyte-Bohol Interconnection Project 1 (LBIP 1).

He clarified that since then and through these years, he has nurtured this party well, with nary a complaint of “backstabbing” when he was provincial party chair. Aumentado is still the regional party chair although he had turned over to Rep. Edgar Chatto the provincial chairmanship – informally on Nov. 19 – and formally on Nov. 28. In fact, he said, he had sent Chatto to get their certificates of nomination during the national party convention on Nov. 19 at t he Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). He added that contrary to Chatto's claim of sending Board Member Alfonso Damalerio II to his residence with his CONA, it was the solon himself who brought it to his house at lunchtime of Dec. 1., the deadline for filing certificates of candidacy after keeping it since Nov. 19 “and after making frantic calls to the national headquarters.”.

No Lakas-LDP coalition

On the entry of former Gov. Rene Relampagos into the picture as “coalition candidate” for congressman of the 1st District, Aumentado said Chatto erred in making Yap and himself as well as the rest of the members believe that a coalition has been approved by higher-ups of the two parties. He said he learned only last week from Senator Edgardo Angara, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) national head, that no such coalition exists. If at all, Chatto should have had the coalition ratified by the members. Only Angara - no Lakas official had signed Relampagos' CONA. Instead, they – including Yap, standard bearer and former Defense Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and himself - were “merely informed” of the coalition. Chatto, Yap , Rep. Adam Relson Jala of the 3rd District and his father and predecessor, former Rep. Eladio Jala and Aumentado may be party officials but they are not the party, hence, Chatto should have had the coalition confirmed. He had his chance on Nov. 28 during the distribution of CONA but he did not, the governor observed.

Inimical acts

When Aumentado was on official trip to Korea and Russia with President Arroyo, some Lakas mayors took oaths of allegiance before Senator Manuel Villar. But when he returned, he led these mayors back into the Lakas-Kampi-CMD fold. As Deputy Speaker when Villar was Speaker apparently gives the local Lakas leaders the jitters, perceiving that the governor is close to the Nacionalista presidential timber. “Why can they not see that I was and am also close to Sec. Teodoro because then he was the senior assistant majority leader?” he asked. On the “Be Honest” paid advertisement that came out in last Sunday's weeklies, he said “my track record as loyal Lakas party man is proven.” “I hope the signatories will be man enough to admit mistakes and let the truth surface. At the same time, I throw back the challenge to them: Be honest also,” he countered. He thanked Yap who was responsible for toning down the language of the advertisement. The original text was terse and harsh, he said. On the revocation of his CONA, Aumentado said he was – and still is – a victim of a treacherous cabal. When the Lakas directorate learned that the accusations against him were false, it was quick to rectify the error by reinstating his CONA and revoking that of Trinidad Mayor Judith Cajes that was issued under dubious circumstances in the first place, he said. On the effort to expel the group of Catigbian Mayor Roberto Salinas and Board Member Josephine Socorro Jumamoy who have expressed disgruntlement in the current Lakas provincial leadership, the governor said Teodoro and Lakas national head Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez had told him after their meeting with President Arroyo that unless they did an Ampatuan, they will not expel the group.

Beacon

Aumentado has often said amidst all this, he is open to reconciliation. He would rather roll up his sleeves and work than engage in word war as this would only drive the wedge into the local Lakas camp deeper and threatening to put it assunder. “The late President Carlos P. Garcia had launched my political career. He dragged me into politics – but not without a guiding light,” Aumentado said. In 1967, shortly after taking his oath as Board Member of Bohol before then President Ferdinand Marcos in Malacanang, Garcia brought him to his residence and presented to him the beacon.” It turned out to be a request for the young lawyer then that when he shall have the opportunity to do so, to grab it in order to realize the President's aspirations for the province: concrete roads, irrigation, potable water, sufficient and reliable power, improved airports, seaports, schools and hospitals, tourism, among others.