I Don't Trust Nograles-RRD

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said he is not willing to work together with 1st District Representative Speaker Prospero Nograles regarding the Balikatan problem of Dabawenyo homeowners.

"I don't trust him," Duterte said. "I will never ally or join him in any undertaking kay wala ko'y tiwala kay Nograles," her added.

The Balikatan problem started when the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation sold the housing debts of the homeowners to the Balikatan Corporation who later announced it will foreclose the houses whose accounts have remained unpaid.

Duterte said the Balikatan problem could not be resolved in the local level and it is the national government that can solve the problem. "Balikatan is a universal problem (meaning all over the Philippines) and not just here in Davao," he said. The mayor recently met with the Balikatan people but he said it is difficult to come up with an agreement saying "mas mabuti pa i-class suit na lang natin ito."

He said if the Dabawenyos affected by the Balikatan problem thinks Nograles can help them solve their problems then he is willing to return the problem to him since "he said he has handled the problem before". Nograles is said to be willing to handle the Balikatan problem if Duterte is willing to work closely with him.

Nograles Got P3M From Fertilizer Fund-Duterte

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said even 1st District Congressman received P3 million from the fertilizer fund of Jocelyn Bolante, former Department of Agriculture undersecretary who is under the hot seat today for the alleged fertilizer scam. Nograles was however quick to defend himself saying they dod not receive money but only fertilizers, which were properly distributed to the recipients.

Duterte, during the Sunday morning program "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa", said newspaper reports indicate that Nograles got P3 million from the P728 million fertilizer scam. An investigation is being conducted on the alleged scam due to allegations that the funds were used to fund the Presidential campaign of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during last election.

He admitted that the city were offered the fertilizers during that time but he refused saying "wala man kaayo nagatanum diri ug bugas asa ko man gamiton ng fertilizer (no one is really planting rice here so where will I use the fertilizer).

Basi sa mga dalan naadto ang fertilizer ni Nograles kay tambok man ang mga dalan sa first district (maybe Nograles' fertilizers went to the first district roads that's why they are fat) he said. He added Nograles keeps on building road but failed to construct canals thereby causing floods in the city.

Duterte said a quick look at the house of Bolante will reveal how rich he is. He said Bolante resides in the posh Alabang subdivision which only the very rich can afford.

Dateline Davao Squad?

Passed by this eatery on my way to Chimes and I could not help but smile at the following signs. Below is a tarpaulin of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and on top is the store's signage---DDS SUTOKIL. In Davao, DDS is the abbreviation given to the Davao Death Squad (name is self explanatory) which has been blamed for the summary killing of people involved in the drug business.

Despite his constant denial that the government does not have anything to do with the DDS, Duterte has been blamed, rather praised, for the summary killing of drug users and pushers in the city.

SuToKiL can mean Shoot To Kill to any American but in Davao, it means SUgba, Tinola and KILawin.

Get the drift?

Digong vs Nogie

Two Davao political bigwigs clash anew

The conflict between Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte and Davao City 1st District Congressman Prospero “Nogie” Nograles is finally out in the open.

Duterte spent 55 minutes of his “Para sa Masa…” program at ABS CBN last Sunday cussing and berating Nograles for a lot of reasons primarily because of the manhunt against Diwalwal miner Tata Sala. Sala, who has a pending warrant of arrest, helped Duterte’s candidate during the recently-concluded barangay elections.

Despite the warrant, Sala acted like a free man, even campaigning for Talomo barangay captain candidate Alex Vidal (Duterte’s candidate who won) versus Nograles candidate Art Jimenez. Duterte said Nograles used his influence to resurrect Sala’s case and warrant to get back to the latter for campaigning against his candidate last election.

The conflict between the two started as far back as 1988 until they formed a political alliance during last year’s local elections (with the agreement that both will respect each other’s jurisdiction and support each other’s decisions- local politics for Duterte and national politics for Nograles). However, the animosity between the two was resurrected even before the end of the election due to politics again.

Duterte also castigated Nograles for sending local broadcaster Alex Adonis to jail for libel after the latter tackled Nograles alleged trysts with a married television host.

Duterte and Nograles were interviewed during today’s Umagang Kay Ganda TV program with Nograles live at the studio and Duterte on a phone patch. Duterte showed why he is touted as the original bad boy of Davao City when he cussed Nograles on national television saying “Put…Ina ka ngano ginapaburan man nimo ang mga Koreano laban sa mga Pilipino” as he accused Nograles of owning Apo View Hotel and getting a casino franchise for the hotel.