I'm not into politics but the current developments on the who's the legitimate governor of Iloilo somewhat stir some interests in me. I was listening all day to the radio about the riff between Governor Niel Tupas and Vice Governor Robert "Obet" Armada at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol still things wasn't very clear to me.

Iloilo City Boy has the overview of the matter.

1. Governor Niel Tupas Sr. faces not one but two dismissal orders from the Ombudsman. The cases stemmed from the two administrative cases filed by the People's Graftwatch of Iloilo, Inc., a local socio-civic group, against Governor Tupas and Board Members Domingo Oso and Cecilia Capadosa for illegally disbursing P80,000 for trainings seminars of the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines (PBMLP). The amount was taken from the Governor's Community Direct Action Fund, which represents 20% of the Annual Development Fund for 2004. The Ombudsman, in its decision, said the respondents failed to present proof that the PBMLP activities indeed transpired.

2. Governor Tupas was dismissed for allowing the release of the funds despite the lack of specific allocation for the said purpose. Board Member Capadosa, then the PBMLP treasurer, was implicated for receiving and depositing the amount in her personal account while Board Member Oso was dismissed for receiving part of the money as reimbursements for seminars and trainings he attended. Ironically, Oso's younger brother, the outspoken Monsignor Meliton Oso, was one of the complainants in the two administrative complaints filed by the People's Graftwatch of Iloilo that has now resulted in the perpetual disqualification of his brother in public service. Via Iloilo City Boy

Detailed account from Tupas' camp can be read here.