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EVEN
A ROUTINARY visit by a senator to fulfill an election promise
was laced with insinuations.
That
proved how contagious the issue about the supposed scam that
generated out of the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal
and escalating into a full blown battle cry for Pres. Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo to step down from office.
The
reaction from some polluted quarters about the visit yesterday
of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri was swift and spontaneous. He is
the secretary-general of the President's party Lakas-CMD.
Just
before he finished his business of fulfilling a promise he
made during the last election, text messages were already
swirling around purportedly indicating that the administration
senator was here to buy support from municipal mayors in exchange
for siding with the embattled President.
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Nothing
was further than the truth as the Zubiri visit indicated.
According
to the text message, Zuriri was giving mayors P1 million
each to buy their loyalty to prop up GMA's sinking popularity.
The
Post lost no time in verifying the report.
Through
their Bohol contact, the couple former mayor Jose "Boy"
Jumamoy and Board Member Socorro Josephine Jumamoy,
the Post was able to arrange an airport interview.
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Asked
about his reaction of the circulated text messages, the senator
from Bukidnon dismissed the insinuation as pure fabrication.
He
said matter-of-factly that he came to Bohol to fulfill an
election promise.
Besides,
he said, he is not a political operative of the President
and therefore he is not in the position to dispense cash to
buy the loyalty of mayors as what was insinuated in the text
message.
Taking
a private plane, Zubiri came all the way from Bukidnon to
attend the Kaamulan festival then to Davao City and finally
to this city.
While
in this city, he met with mayors at the JJ's Seafood Village
after he guested at the 16th general assembly of the Bagtik
Multi-purpose Cooperative at the Metro Center Hotel.
Zubiri
who is the chair of the Senate committee on cooperatives pledged
to the Catigbian group to give P1million for its coop building.
Board
Member Jumamoy who is the SP chair of the committee on cooperatives
along with his son Inabanga Mayor Jono Jumamoy facilitated
the senator's visit here. She also represented Gov. Aumentado
during the cooperative assembly.
During
the celebration of the Cooperative Month in Bohol last October,
the Bukidnon lawmaker who was the guest speaker, pledged to
return the favor to all Bohol mayors who helped him during
the last elections. Zubiri finished fourth in Bohol and that
explained why he gave each mayor P1 million each. The first
tranche was delivered yesterday while the balance of P500,000
will be given next year. Zubiri's windfall came in the form
of Special Allotment Release Order (SARO).
The
senator was met at the airport by Board Member Jumamoy, Mayor
Jumamoy, Jagna Mayor Eksam LLoren, president of the League
of Municipalities and Alexis Valdevia, Zubiri's chief of staff.
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