Acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya said yesterday that he supports the refiling of the bill to reapportion Bacolod City into two congressional districts and is  being consistent with his previous position.

Gasataya, who was designated officer-in-charge by Mayor Monico Puentevella, said this was his position since 2008 when he was  a councilor and  was part of the City Council that pushed for the redistricting of Bacolod City.

He believes that it is time to pursue the redistricting of Bacolod and  is just waiting for the final resolution of the matter, Gasataya said.

Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia had earlier, said he had batted for redistricting in the past, because, very obviously, with two districts, the city will get twice the Priority development Assistance Fund and spur its development. There is no PDAF now, and pressing for two districts could only double government expenses for results that can be effectively delivered only by one congressman who works well and hard.

Gasataya said he respects the decision of Leonardia who is his party mate.  But this is not a manifestation that he is bolting out of their party (Grupo Progreso).

 “As long as we respect each other’s decision for the good of the city, we will still work as party mates,” he said, adding that they take their stand based on their convictions and beliefs.

Asked about the plans of Puentevella to seek the help of other Negros congressman in sponsoring the redistricting bill, Gasataya said “In Congress there is such a thing as courtesy.”

 He recalled that they had pushed for the redistricting of Bacolod in 2008 when Puentevella was still congressman but nothing happened. Although they wanted to seek the help of other congressmen, they did not pursue it out of respect and courtesy, Gasataya said.

Gasataya will serve as acting Mayor until Puentevella returns from Singapore.

Puentevella was allowed  by the Sandiganbayan to travel abroad after he posted P30,000 bail bond  with the Court for his provisional liberty during the conditional arraignment of the case involving the alleged anomalous procurement of overpriced computer packages for more than P25 million, using his PDAF when he was yet congressman. 

He also had to deposit P90,000  in cash as travel bond, as one of the conditions  set after he filed his “Motion for Leave of Court to Travel Abroad” dated March 11.

Puentevella was invited to attend a joint conference of mayors of emerging cities from ASEAN nations (Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore from March 31 to April 1, organized by the Oxfam International and LYK School of the National University in Singapore.*CGS

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