Kag. Baba Yap makes this curt reply against some poll speculations

The answer in some people’s minds whether fans or critics that City Councilor John Geesnel “Baba” Yap II is ripe for the picking as the next city mayor of Tagbilaran? “Am not running for mayor”, period.

Breaking a one week silence, thus declared Councilor Yap in answer to speculations that he was positioning to become the next city mayor after the term of his uncle City Mayor Dan Neri Lim shall have ended in 2013. Asked of his thoughts of a running story regarding his mayoralty ambitions, the number one city councilor said he has no qualms what other people think of his forays in the barangays to advance his own advocacies as a public servant. “If some people interpret the wrong way my visibility in the barangays other than to pursue my advocacies, then they are entitled to their own speculation”, Kag. Yap said. The issue of Yap as a mayoralty timber cropped up after he was accused of his uncle City Mayor Dan Neri Lim of “conduct unbecoming to the party” he used belong. As chieftain of the Nationalist Party Coalition (NPC), Mayor Lim enforced a party decision to expel his nephew apparently due to reports that the city councilor was often seen in the company of perceived enemies of the NPC-- the likes of former vice mayor Jose Antonio Veloso, City Councilor Alberta Torralba and Taloto barangay captain Faro Cabalit who until lately already out of the good graces of the city mayor. It was Lim who brokered the deal for Cabalit to become the president of the Liga ng mg Barangay, city chapter.

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY

Among other accusations, NPC ousted Baba Yap on the basis of charges that “he is now in bed” with the political enemies of the party. In a privilege speech Friday in the halls of the Sangguniang Panglungsud which many believed as the councilor’s way of sending the message that he’s “no political babe in the woods”, Kag. Yap took the opportunity to answer all the pending issues and clarify all the political arguments set upon him by his colleagues. Citing that his intent to serve has never been tainted with negligence, Yap refuted the argument about his lack of interest in any of NPC’s political stance. In his own words Yap said: “ I was active and visible in all of the city gatherings I was invited to. If there had been an instance that I’ve failed to show my presence, then it is for the sole reason that I was not invited. A meeting, a gathering, without my invitation or my information should not be taken as a predicament against me. In fact, my attendance to the Sangguniang Panglungsud sessions should resolve this matter, with you, my colleagues should know that”.

Speaking of his person as a public servant, Councilor Yap has this to say: “ My service has always been a selfless intent. My family had then disapproved of my decision to run as councilor. They were apprehensive because they know that being a public servant entails a lot of responsibilities that would demand a lot of my time. We may have to compromise with the time for our family trips abroad and our family bondings. They were also concerned on how I will balance my time between public service and business. But, my 14 years experience managing Bohol Tropics Resort proved otherwise. Even before I was councilor, for 14 years, Bohol Tropics Resort through my leadership, has been very active in the community. We have sponsored various community projects, scholarship programs, medical assistance and even basketball tournaments. And I was able to oversee both our extracurricular activities and at the same time manage the finances of our business”.

THE ‘LOLO’S’ ROLE

The neophyte city councilor , on the same occasion, paid glowing tribute to his grandfather, ex-councilor Segundo Lim. He said when he was asked to run for office, many people whom he considered instruments of making that dream to serve, a reality. He added that it was his “lolo” who really played a vital role in “my decision to run for councilor”. Citing that his grandfather was the prime reason why he entered politics, Councilor Yap said it was his lolo who nurtured and protected him all his life. “l have become the person I am today because he taught me how to be selfless for others. My lolo whom we know as a great leader, a principled individual and a firm believer that the people of Tagbilaran is worth fighting for. He is the reason why I am here in front of you”, thus said Yap in reference to the culture of public service he has imbibed to his own that he inherits from his beloved grandfather. Mayor Lim, his uncle, also occupied a good part of his speech. Councilor Yap said: To Mayor Dan Lim, uncle, thank you so much for treating me like your own son. The time we have spent in your political party maybe short-lived but the life lessons that I learned from you will forever be treasured. I want to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation for all the knowledge and ideals you have passed on to me. You are so benevolent and selfless. I am proud of all the compassionate things you do for the people of Tagbilaran. Even though I am already ousted from your party, my respect and love to you will always remain unconditionally.” In parting, Councilor Yap, took the occasion to announce that he was resigning as majority floor leader of the SP.

THE UNCLE REACTS

Barely a day after Yap’s privilege speech, the “uncle” reacted with utmost dispatch given his nephew’s perorations about his ouster from the NPC. The reaction was made during Mayor Lim’s morning radio program over Station DYTR yesterday. Mayor Lim said while his nephew wanted the people to believe that he remained a diehard NPC member, it was the party that gave him the cold shoulders. Further from the truth, blurted Mayor Lim. Lim said at least two things were in order to correct this impression. The city mayor said it was no less than Councilor Yap who admitted that while he was active in the service of the people, he was doing it outside of party parameters. We have no quarrel on this, the mayor said. At the very least, Mayor Lim said, it was enough that Yap admitted that he was on his own and had not consulted the party whatever activities he had pursued. On the issue that he was not invited on party-related activities, the uncle asked: If he were not invited, fine, but why were his colleagues who were not invited as well were able to attend the NPC-initiated gatherings.

Then, Mayor Lim asked who is Baba Yap anyway? Is he a guest of honor that he deserved to be reminded during meetings of party matters? According to Mayor Lim, while Yap admitted that he can go on his own, he was supposed to be reminded for any invitation along with his party mates. If this was the case, Mayor Lim said, it would appear that this was not an actuation of a mature and responsible public servant. Another thing that Lim cited in answer to Yap’s rationale in his privilege speech was the admission that he attended a party in the house of opposition Councilor Torralba and during the fiesta of barangay captain Faro Cabalit. Lim said he cannot help but ask on Yap’s presence on the two activities of opposition stalwarts. The question on Lim’s mind is this: why was only Baba the only one invited? Would it not be prudent on the part of Torralba and Cabalit to invite their other colleagues in the SP too? According to Lim, Yap’s presence on the two festive occasions of the mayor’s political enemies would surely provoke suspicion. Lim said it has become a party rule that members of the NPC were prohibited from socializing with members of the opposition. In the case of Yap, by showing his closeness to the opposition, it was no less a sign that he violated a party policy.