FORMER John Geesnell “Baba” Lim Yap stressed that his candidacy will be based on “clean politics and clean campaign.”
This, he told the audience of supporters gathered at Bohol Tropics Resort in the city after he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for congressman in first district.
His COC filing at the Comelec provincial office followed after his wife, incumbent city Mayor Jane Censoria Cajes Yap filed her COC for reelection as she, with her running-mate for vice-Mayor Atty. Adam Relson Jala and ten of her councilors filed their respective COCs at the city Comelec office on October 8.
He said that never in their practice that they criticized their political opponents and never they shot back or reply to allegations that his detractors would have thrown against him since he assumed office earlier. The Yaps just kept mum on issues thrown at them.
He said that he heard the he and his wife are facing graft-related charges filed before the Office of the Ombudsman. He added he did not receive any copy of those complaints. He said that it’s not new, nor surprised when electoral exercise is nearing things like these (allegations) are coming out apparent to put the Yaps in bad light.
But, instead, he appealed to the people to help curb the proliferation of sham information, or the fake news to the public, especially in the social media.
“Lain napod nga fake news para pang daot ni Baba Yap og Jane Yap. Kita karon ang target sa mga trolls og fake accounts pang spread og fake news,” he said in his post recently. He was reacting to the post that his family owns Bohol Tropics resort and that the family has not paid their taxes.
He said that instead of responding to the unfair accusations against him, he bragged about different awards that he got under his watch and those of his wife. He cited the award for pioneering Local People’s Council.
“Naminaw gyud ta sa mga tawo,” he said, adding that under his administration participative and consultative governance is the key that he listens to the people of the city.
What prompted him to run for congressman, he said, is that he wants to help improve the lot of the barangay folk as he did when he was the city mayor and his wife is doing in the city’s 15 barrios.
Mayor Jane Yap also emphasized that the Asenso Pa More team will not engage in mockery, nor bullying her opponents and their supporters alike.
“In our style of leadership, walay bugal-bugal, walay pangdaot,” she stressed.
She added, “We will anchor our battlecry sa mga nabuhat na nato, dugang pa natong buhaton ug sa padayon nga pag-asenso sa dakbayan sa Tagbilaran.”
Jane Yap’s slate for councilors: reelectionists Bebot Budlong, Tim Butalid, Charles Cabalit, Butchie Zamora, Gemma Inting, and come-backing Leonides “Edi” Borja, Dodong Gonzaga, neophytes Gian Besas (younger brother of Congw. Alexie Tutor), Bool barangay chairman Plong-plong Ringca and Merrick Blanco, (son of former Mansasa barangay chair Manolo “Taran” Blanco).
It will be recalled that it was then Vice-Governor and now Calape Mayor Julius Caesar F. Herrera who convinced and endorsed Yap to bid for first congressional seat. (rvo)
