Second District Cong. Aristotle Aumentado on Monday questioned the motive behind 3rd District Cong. Arthur Yap’s move to facilitate the sourcing of foreign funds for big-ticket projects in the 2nd district.

“Is this propaganda? Is this in preparation for his gubernatorial bid? Or is this an earnest move to help the second district,” Aumentado said in an interview with station DYRD.

Aumentado cited Yap’s support in the construction of the Bohol Northeast Catch Basin and Cebu-Bohol bridge as a good thing but said that the latter should have coordinated with his office first.

The 2nd district congressman admitted that Yap has connections with individuals and organizations which could funnel funds to the projects but expressed dismay as the move “overlapped” their responsibilities.

“He could have done that if I was not moving and working on these, but I have been moving,” Aumentado said. “We could have talked and laid out the plans which would benefit Bohol.”

Aumentado said that an agreement between the Philippines and the Chinese government regarding the bridge which will connect Cebu and Bohol is already in place.

“For the Northeast Catch Basin, the feasibility study is done in-house. In fact, we asked for another P30 million so the detailed engineering can start,” he said. “Once the FS is done, it will be open for bidding.”

During the Bohol Provincial Consultation on Central Visayas Regional Development Plan on Friday, Yap said he is facilitating the inclusion of the Malinao Dam upgrading, and the Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge and Bohol Northeast Catch Basin construction in a list of projects which are up for foreign funding.

Both construction projects will be implemented in the second district while the Malinao Dam is located in the third district. However, the dam mostly provides water supply to second district towns.

In the same interview, Aumentado said that he asked Yap if he does not have major projects in the third district as he questioned the latter’s focus on the second district.

Yap has yet to issue a statement regarding Aumentado’s interview over station DYRD.

Both congressmen belong under the administration’s political party, PDP-Laban.

While indicating the possibility of Yap’s gubernatorial candidacy in the next elections, Aumentado said that he has no plans on running for the same position. (Allen Doydora)