Mayor-elect snubs ‘turnover’ of Loay town hall; event, a ‘sham,’ says councilor

The incoming mayor of Loay and several newly elected and incumbent officials snubbed the so-called turnover and inauguration of the town’s still under-construction municipal hall, which drew the ire of a councilor who called the event a “sham” and a “family affair.”

“Gi-ilad man mi agto. Laliman ka’g blessing, inauguration and turnover na wa pa man mahuman. Ngano manganha man mi na di man tinuod na mahitabo ang turnover,” said reelected Councilor Tiburcio Bullecer, Jr.

Bullecer along with the incoming Loay administration led by Mayor-elect Hilario Ayuban and Vice Mayor-elect Jan-Jan Cubarol skipped the Wednesday event which was organized by the current leadership under outgoing Mayor Rochelle Imboy and her mother, former mayor May Imboy.

May and Rochelle lost to Ayuban and Cubarol, respectively, in the May elections.

The event’s program indicated that a turnover of a symbolic key from the contractors, Aloha Builders and Roadhill Construction, to Rochelle, other officials and stakeholders was to be held. However, there was no actual turnover ceremony.

“Ang nahitabo gahapon blessing ra g’yud, wa jamo ju’y giingong naay inauguration o turnover. So wa mi mangadto kay nahibaw man mi nga wa na mahuman so unsa may turn-overon og wa mahuman,” said Bullecer.

May admitted that the twin structures, which were divided into Phases 1 and 2, were still unfinished.

She said that Phase 1 was at “85 percent” completion while Phase 2 was at “95 percent” completion.

Phase 1 is the original municipal hall, an over century-old structure damaged by the 2013 Bohol Earthquake, while Phase 2 is an extension building.

Several offices including those of the engineering, accounting, treasurer and Municipal Planning and Development Council of the town started to operate out of the Phase 2 building in mid-May.

She also explained that the turnover meant that the new municipal complex will be turned over to the incoming administration.

However, Bullecer lamented that the event was a “family affair,” noting that May, who is not an incumbent official and was mayor only until 2016, played a large role in the ceremonies while Ayuban was not included in the program.

“Family affair man to kay nganong naa man si May Imboy apil sa gitagaan og speech nga di man siya mayor, unja ang incoming mayor nga maoy mogamit ana nga maong building wa na nuoy papel sa program,” he said.