Evardone Under Fire in PCIJ Report
November 18th, 2007 | by Ced Solidon |Eastern Samar governor Ben Evardone has recently been under fire in a report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) published at the GMA News website earlier this week.
Written by PCIJ’s Jaileen F. Jimeno, the report talks about Evardone’s life as a student, a journalist and currently, as the governor of Eastern Samar.
In several interviews of his former colleagues, Evardone is pictured as an admirable person, both as a journalist and as a person. However, the same people were unable to hide their disappointment on the governor for his choices as a politician.
Aside from that, the report shows how Evardone is a strong ally of the administration. A proof given is his connection with the controversial handing out of the so-called cash gifts to neophyte governors at Macalanang last October 11. While this and other actions have helped in earning the president’s favor and support in the form of a bigger budget, the report shows how he may have mishandled the funds of the local government.
As an example, the report tells of how the Commission on Audit (COA) questioned the province on its spending of the P30.7 million for its aid and subsidy program in 2005. The COA said that the money had been disbursed without safeguards and found some irregularities on how they were spent.
To read the PCIJ report, please visit the GMA News website at www.gmanews.tv. It can also be found on PCIJ’s website by clicking HERE.
===
Ced Solidon started the team blog. He currently works as a freelance writer. Aside from that, he also maintains a travel blog, Gala Pinoy. He loves to read books and play music.
8 Responses to “Evardone Under Fire in PCIJ Report”
By tungaw on Nov 20, 2007 | Reply
i wish people in eastern samar will get a chance to read this piece. i think this is just the tip of the iceberg which is pretty scary. but being the spin doctor that he is, i won’t be surprised if he paints himself as being the victim here rather than the perpetrator.
what’s next for eastern samar? despite all these, however, i still believe that there are capable leaders in our province with good intentions (although it will just be again a matter of time before they are sucked into this dirty and rotten process).
sorry for the negativity and for offering no solutions but that is how i feel right now.
By mario on Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
evardone is very much the same with our ex-congressman NONOY LIBAN…he was good with his first term but then revealing himself what he really is after…eastehanons then are still sleeping…we jsut don’t mind whats happening with our province..and so we end up with comments after comments…Y not make some move???
By maria on Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
ini in angay ikaawod…. kairo nga mga estehanon kon sugad nga lider may ada kita.
By Ced Solidon on Nov 22, 2007 | Reply
To the last topic commenter after maria:
I’m sorry but I accidentally marked your comment as spam and couldn’t retrieve it anymore. Paki-submit na la ngahaw. Damo nga salamat.
By Lumalabay on Nov 23, 2007 | Reply
The idealism of his youth has vanished. He has allowed himself to be corrupted by the system and he himself is now a corrupt politician. Well, what do we expect?
This has always been the pattern of politicians in Eastern Samar.
By balangaw on Nov 24, 2007 | Reply
Apparently some if not majority of those who were used to be an activist and turned government officials had become even more corrupt than trapos.