Councilors receive 'pabaon' from Aboitiz

Sunstar Davao

DAVAO CITY Council Floor leader Emmanuel Galicia admitted Thursday that AboitizPower Corp. had given councilors cash for shopping or "pabaon" when they visited the power company's coal-fired facility in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental in January.

Galicia, a pastor of a Baptist Church, told reporters that the cash was intended to buy some items for the council members when they were about to leave Cagayan de Oro following the plant visit.

But he could not say who among the Davao City councilors aside from him who received the cash incentive, and that he cannot remember the exact amount.

"I cannot remember. Some say it was P6,000," Galicia said.

AboitizPower denied Galicia's claims.

In January, this year, some city councilors visited Aboitiz's and La Filipina's joint venture Steag State Power Inc., a coal-fired power plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.

The trip was paid for by Aboitiz Power to raise awareness among local legislators on how a coal-fired plant works and what is it all about.

Galicia emphasized that receiving cash to buy some "pasalubongs" during the trip does not mean his vote on the proposed power project was already sold.

"I will vote on the merits (of the project)," he said.

Galicia made the revelation on the day the City Council committee on energy, transportation and communication conducted the first of a series of hearings on the proposal of Aboitiz to build a 300-megawatt (MW) coal-fired plant at the boundary of Barangay Binugao in Toril, Davao City and Inawayan in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

Several councilors who attended the hearing with Galicia on Thursday, however, vehemently denied having received any money from Aboitiz during the trip.

Councilor Pilar Braga said all that she could remember was the Aboitiz management provided them with their air fare from Davao City to Cagayan de Oro and back.

"I hate that question. Aboitiz cannot buy us," said Braga after presiding over the committee hearing that lasted three hours. "Let's not pollute the minds of the public."

Councilor Jimmy Dureza also denied having received any money during the trip, adding he didn't even take a plane ride and used a government vehicle in going to Misamis.

Councilors Victorio Advincula Jr. and Marissa Salvador-Abella also denied they received a shopping money from Aboitiz.

Aboitiz Power Corp. first vice president for Mindanao Manuel "Bobby" Orig also denied his company offered cash to the councilors.

Orig, however, admitted that Aboitiz shouldered the expenses of the councilors during the trip.

When asked what he bought out of the cash given to him, Galicia replied: "Pastel", a specialty in Cagayan de Oro.

The City Council members earlier came under fire after visiting the coal-fired plant in Misamis Oriental, whose trip was paid for by the power firm.

Two groups of councilors had visited the plant, the first group on January 12 and the second on January 21.

Braga earlier said that she and 11 of her colleagues visited the plant site to personally see the location.

The visit was earlier requested by Vice Mayor Duterte, who is giving full support to the project.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on March 25, 2011.