The vice-president of an irrigators association has denounced the people behind the insertion of a paragraph in a petition he intended to write against the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) regional director. Artemio Amper, the incumbent vice president of the Malinao Dam Federation of Irrigators Association and the incumbent president of the Mandawa Boyles-Pitao Irrigators Association, formally issued his disclaimer in an affidavit of denial he issued last Dec. 14. Amper admitted that he prepared a petition he intended to send to Pres. Benigno Aquino III but was surprised to learn that his letter had been circulated in the internet.

In his affidavit, Amper narrated that he had “a little argument” with Membreve during a meeting last Nov. 11. The next day, Amper said a “Tagalog speaking person” texted him to ask if he was interested to initiate a petition for the ouster of Membreve from Region 7. Four days later, a man introducing himself as “Mr. Gulle” called him up regarding the petition and whether he was interested to go to Tagbilaran to meet with “concerned Boholanos”. On Nov. 21, Engr. Calixto Seroje, former NIA Bohol project manager, together with a certain Mr. Falcon visited Amper's residence in San Isidro , Pilar town to follow up on his desire to initiate a petition for Membreve's ouster. Amper said that on Nov. 23, Seroje fetched him up about 9 pm at a store in Lamdagan street and brought him to Metrocenter Hotel.

He recalled that he brought his draft of the proposed letter to the President about his personal sentiments which Seroje took for encoding. About two hours later, Amper said the letter was presented to him for his signature. Since it was too late in the evening, he said he did not mind to read the content believing in good faith that it contained the contents of his draft. Last Dec. 12, Amper said NIA management called his attention to the letter he “made, signed and turned over” to Seroje on Nov. 23 and was informed that many had reported reading it in the internet. Amper alleged that when he reviewed his copy of the letter, he found out that “so many statements therein were inserted which in truth and in fact I do not know and I have no way of knowing the same and these includes paragraphs no. 11”. He also stressed that he had no knowledge about its posting in the internet. Amper likewise disclaimed knowledge about the change in the addressee in the letter bore the name of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala instead of Pres. Aquino.