Mismanagement, corruption and election fraud in Tagaytay Tuesday, 03 August 2010 00:00

BUDDY CUNANAN

In the last episode of my social awareness TV show Philippines Uncut—which airs everySaturday at 9 p.m. on GNN—I had a good conversation with former Tagay-tay vice mayoraltycandidate Pastor Ronald Tan about the situation in his city.

Tagaytay is one of the most popular tourist destinations around Metro Manila because of itsaccessibility, crisp mountain air, breathtaking view of Taal volcano, and delightful restaurantsand cafes. However, behind this pleasant facade lies a city that is reeling from mismanagementand corruption.

For the better part of four decades, Tagaytay has been ruled by the Tolentino family. Thepatriarch, Isaac, was mayor for 27 years. His son and newly-appointed MMDA chairman Franciswas mayor from 1994 to 2004, followed by his younger brother, Abraham, who has remained atthe city’s helm ever since.

To say that basic services in Tagaytay are lacking is a gross understatement. For instance,street lighting is woefully inadequate. The only decently illuminated areas are on the main roadwhere the majority of commercial establishments are located, while the rest of the city, inparticular the interior barangays, is plunged in virtual darkness. Even though Tagaytay has just50,000 real residents (the population balloons to 300,000 on weekends) and earns about P700million a year, the city has no free hospitalization, no senior citizen subsidy for medicines, nofree college education, no centralized sewage facility, no proper waste disposal system, toname just a few absent social services.

Clearly, something is amiss in Tagaytay when one considers that the tiny fourth-classmunicipality of Amadeo next door earns barely + of the former’s income and yet all itsbarangays are lighted. Nearby Bacoor, Cavite, with ten times the number of residents, earns thesame as Tagaytay and yet has much better social services.

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The root of the problem, according to Tan, who once served as Francis’ executive assistant, isthe Tolentino family. Francis and Abraham are facing multiple graft cases before theOmbudsman, the latest of which was filed by Tan last July 21st. He is accusing the brothers ofamassing over P500 million in ill-gotten wealth and charging them with plunder and violating theAnti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for PublicOfficials and Employees.

Tan points out that when Francis became mayor in 1994, the only recorded real estate

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Mismanagement, corruption and election fraud in Tagaytay Tuesday, 03 August 2010 00:00

belonging to the Tolentinos was their ancestral home located in the city’s Barangay TolentinoWest. Today, the list of the family’s lands in Tagaytay is impressive. The Cockpit Arena, FrablynTowers, Star Ridge Plaza, Windy Ridge Hotel, Airborne Building, New Orleans Hotel, andOverlook Inn are just a few of the prime properties around the Silang Crossing junction that areowned by the brothers. Abraham recently purportedly acquired a house and lot in posh SanLorenzo Village in Makati City. How is a mayor with an official monthly salary of just P40,000able to afford this, Tan asks?

Tan also accuses Francis and Abraham of misrepresenting the real financial condition of thecity. The Commission on Audit’s official 2006 assessment of Tagaytay states that the “Cash inVault” of P130 million as claimed by the city government “is not backed up by hard currency.” Infact, the cashbooks reveal a total balance of only P11. Tan said the Tolentinos must answer forthis and that Francis cannot simply pass the buck to Abraham since these ills were merelypassed on to his brother by his (Francis) administration.

There are reportedly many other cases of abuse.

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Locals say most Tagaytayans are tired of the Tolentinos. The latter, however, have been able todefy the people by being experts at electoral fraud, especially through e-cheating during the lastpolls. Pre-election surveys showed Tan and his runningmate winning over the incumbents by asmuch as an 80 percent margin. However, on Election Day the results were reversed, in favor ofthe Tolentino ticket. Abraham reportedly guaranteed his victory through pre-programmed CFcards. Tan also has witnesses who are ready to testify about three illegal PCOS machines thatwere used to transmit spurious election results from City Hall and that were later spirited away,using the mayor’s vehicles.

It’s tragic that Tagaytay is naturally blessed but seemingly cursed by the men who rule it. Alsoperturbing is Francis’ designation as MMDA chairman. President Aquino has made goodgovernment the center-piece of his administration. In light of the many pending graft casesagainst Francis, it might be a good idea for the Chief Executive to re-evaluate the appointment.Francis’ very capability to run the MMDA is also in question. If, as Tagaytay mayor, he couldn’tsolve the traffic and waste disposal problems of his 50,000 constituents, how could he possiblydo it for the 15 million residents of Metro Manila?

neighborsnbn@gmail.com

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