By JUNE S. BLANCO

AGAINST all odds, the 2014 edition of the Bohol Poll showed that Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District), still got a high approval rating from his constituents. Sans pork barrel funds for pet projects to dangle to his constituents after the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) was scrapped for being unconstitutional, the neophyte lawmaker still netted a high 52% satisfaction rating. The PDAF scam was well-publicized: a very high 73% of those polled said they were aware of the anomaly after the radio, newspapers and television carried news of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles – the alleged mastermind of the P10 billion government funds fleeced through both favored and spurious non-government organizations (NGOs). Of this number, only one percent said former congressman Erico Aumentado was allegedly linked to the PDAF anomaly, while 19% said they had heard or read in the news that former congressman (1st District) and now Gov. Edgardo Chatto was linked to it; Rep. Arthur Yap (3rd District), 16%; former Rep. Roberto Cajes (2nd District), 11%; former Reps. Eladio Jala and Adam Relson Jala, both of the 3rd District, 7%, and 4%, respectively.

Out of Chatto’s 19%, 10% strongly believed that he was involved, 12% “believed a little” while 23% said he was not involved while 55% stood undecided. In Yap’s case, out of the 16%, 14% strongly believed that he was involved, 8% believed a little, 13% did not believe that he was linked while 65% was undecided. In Cajes’ case, out of the 11%, 10% strongly believed that he was involved, 26% believed a little, 12% did not believe that he was involved while 53% was undecided. Of the older Jala’s 7%, none believed he was involved at all, 11% believed a little and 74% remained undecided. Of the younger Jala’s 4%, 4% strongly believed that he was involved, 25% believed a little, 8% did not believe at all with 61% undecided. Of Relampagos’ 2%, 7% strongly believed that he was involved, 7% believed a little, 31% did not believe that he was involved, and 55% was undecided. Of the late Aumentado’s 1%, 12% strongly believed that he was involved in the scam, 42% does not believe that he is while 46% remained undecided. The result validates what most people have known for a long time: the Aumentados serve the public honestly and from the heart.