RCF set to file taxpayer suit vs prov’l officials Says it’s not politically motivated
IN SUPPORT of the taxpayers in the province and as businessman, former Laoag City Mayor Roger C. Fariñas said he might file a case against several provincial officials for using the people’s money in useless projects. According to Fariñas, a taxpayer’s suit may be filed against public officials who initiated multi-million peso projects of the provincial government, which are now being alleges as “white elephant” projects. Fariñas said he was able to confirm for himself the “white elephant” projects after he conducted an ocular inspection of them accompanied by several members of the local media. Among the projects visited by Fariñas included the Bannawag Bodega, the tobacco flue-curing barn in Batac, and the feedmill in Marcos, Ilocos Norte. All these projects, according to Fariñas, are no longer operating especially the flue-curing barn in Batac since there was not even a single personnel looking after it during their inspection, adding that the installation had been so open that they were able to get inside and inspect it closely. “Kasanu kuma nga maus-usar ket awan met pulos tao a nadanunan mi ken aglat-lati pay ken awan pulos naurnos kadagitay alikamenen. Saan pay pulos a naka-kandado. Kalding a iti nakita mi,” Fariñas said. With this development, the former three-term mayor said he is planning to file a case against provincial officials involved with the project, with the help of his brother, former Ilocos Norte Governor and Rep. Rodolfo C. Fariñas, as legal counsel. “What will I criticize if they are doing their job in using the people’s money? Sada ibaga nga agpol-politika-ak. As a businessman and as a taxpayer, I also have the right to know where the people’s money goes,” Fariñas explained. He also dared the Provincial Treasurer’s Office to present to the public the income or earnings from these projects of the provincial government as some of them have insisted that these should not be considered as “white elephants.” Meanwhile, reacting to this, The Ilocos Times learned that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will include this matter for discussion in the forthcoming budget deliberations as the provincial board will ask for the actual status of these projects. In a related development, Fariñas reiterated his prediction that the planned P472 million convention center to constructed in Barangay Balacad, Laoag City will also become another “white elephant.” He also took a dig at a critic who insisted that it is Fariñas who had “white elephant” projects during his term as the former local chief executive stressed that two of his major projects—the Laoag City Commercial Complex and Laoag City Central Terminal—are both self-liquidating and thus would be able to pay for the loans taken out to construct them. City Hall records show that the Laoag City Commercial Complex has made a four-year advanced payment in the loan taken to build it while the Central Terminal has made a two-year advance payment. Dominic B. dela Cruz
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