THE allegation that a port arrastre company top official having the same family name of the brother-in-law of the governor is false, if not, fake news.
“I strongly condemn the false and misleading allegations made by Mr. Willy Ramasola, insinuating that I am the husband of the sister of Governor Aris Aumentado. This is categorically untrue. I am neither related to the Governor nor to his wife or sister by blood or by marriage,” Animas Bros Arrastre Stevedoring Company president Victor Villamor said in a statement.
He reissued the statement in a press conference in Jagna to clarify that indeed he has no relation by blood or whatever to the brother-in-law of Gov. Aris Aumentado.
It was unclear if Ramasola may have linked provincial Board Member Atty Jamie Villamor (niece of the governor) to Victor Villamor as having the same family name.
But Ramasola appeared to be retorting on the issue of relationship of Villamor to the governor when he posted as his “official response” that “You can point fingers to PPA or whatever agency of government but the fact is nimahal ang taripa sukad na privatize ang arrastre and port operation services sa mga pantalan. Perteng mahala ug usa ni sa factor nganong nimahal ang presyo sa mga pamaliton sa Bohol.”
Despite the denial of Villamor, Ramasola insisted that “Ug usa pa, with all due respect kang Mr. Victor Villamor, mapagaw nalang siyag explain pero convinced ko nga naay dugong Aumentado ang arastre business sa mga pipila ka mga pantalan sa Bohol.”
Villamor clarified that the Aumentados, the governor and his wife, Congress. woman Vanessa C. Aumentado, have no more business, nor part of the company, when they both entered the politics in Bohol.
As to the high tariff rates, Villamor explained that it is not the company who imposed it, but the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). What the company can do is just follow what the PPA enforces in terms of tariff rates on goods and construction materials, like aggregates.
Animas Bros Arrastre and Stevedoring Services Inc. and Tarsier Arrastre Stevedoring Services Inc. have merged now it is AT company. It is the winning bidder in the amount of over Php900 million of providing stevedoring services in the ports of two in Ubay, Tapal, Ubay; Ubay port, Talibon ug Getafe, and Jagna.
Villamor said that PPA is a Government Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC), which operates all the seaports in the country, has its own target in revenue generating every year, hence the tariff imposition. All the arrastre services provided by the private entities have to follow the PPA’s imposed tariffs.
He said its unfair to blame the private arrastre/stevedoring company for the high rates when it’s the PPA imposed them.
Villamor said that his company gave discounts to their usual customers apparently to make them afloat.
All products, either, fruits, vegetables, ingredients, others from Mindanao that are shipped in these ports are levied based on PPA’s tariffs, he said. (rvo)
