FORMER City Mayor Atty. Dan Neri Lim admitted that Gov. Aumentado will be reelected in the May 2025 mid-term elections. But he’s quick to justify that his running for governor against Aumentado is just a vehicle to spread information and awareness particularly on the Bohol Light Company Inc. sale.
Lim, a former Tagbilaran city Mayor, filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for governor challenging re-electionist Gov. Aris Aumentado. Lim was former vice-chair of the Office of the Governance, Accountability and Review (OGAR) but resigned.
Lim maintains that the sale of the Bohol Light Company, Inc violated the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) entered into by the provincial government and the Salcon almost 25 years back. The said JVA also gave birth to what is now the BLCI that distributed electricity in the city.
He also bared that it’s not him who volunteered, but the former governors in the persons of Rene Relampagos, Edgar Chatto and Arthur C. Yap convinced him to run for governor. His statement has dispelled rumors that it was he who wanted to throw his hat for the highest post of the province.
Earlier, Lim admitted he has no ample resources for his campaign. He told media interview after he filed his COC that he relied on the campaign machinery of the three former governors.
He said that Relampagos, who did not file COC, is in-charge of the second district, Chatto in first district and Yap, third district, as far as his campaign is concerned.
He said that his run is just a vehicle to let people know what’s going on the sale of the 70% shares of Bohol Light Company, Incorporated (BLCI).
Meanwhile, the group of Lim, including Atty. Kurt Bungabong, Engr. Gerry Garcia and Ronnie Orillosa, maintained that the sale of the BLCI to Primelectric Holdings, Inc., violates the provision of article 13 of the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA).
“The sale by the group of SPC Power to Primelectric Holdings is without prior written approval of the Provincial Government of Bohol. It is a violation of Article 13 of the JVA.” This is being expounded by Atty. Bungabong during the press conference.
The group said that since this is a clear violation, the Capitol “should terminate the JVA by reimbursing SPC Power their P52.5 million capital (70% of BLCI).”
The group also believed that Capitol could have earned more than the P350 million from the sale of BLCI (with 70% share at P6.67/share) if it conducted a public bidding.
Since the BLCI was already sold to Primelectric, the group alleged that the leadership of the Capitol “don’t want the Provincial Government to earn a massive windfall from the reprivatization of 70% of BLCI.”
Dan Lim’s group said that transaction favoring a private consortium instead of the province is tantamount to graft corruption and fits the definition of the corruption under section (3(e) of the Republic Act No. 3019.
The group said that they are so concerned about this since graft and corruption deprives the people, the consumers and should be protected, considering that that the consumers of BLCI “have P193.9 million of deposits in BLCI” based on the financial position of the BLCI as provided for by the Securities and Exchange commission (SEC).
His runningmate (for vice-gov.) former provincial board member Gerry Garcia along with Atty. Bryan Pelandas and Ronnie Orillosa also attended the press conference called by Lim at MetroCenter Hotel. (rvo)
