News report on Fuentebella family ‘replete with falsehoods’

We write in behalf of our client Rep. Arnulfo P. Fuentebella, regarding the article titled “Filling materials for resort cranks tension up in CamSur village,” which was written by Juan Escandor Jr. (Inquirer, 1/15/12)

Escandor’s article is replete with falsehoods and is clearly intended to malign the Fuentebella family. If Escandor had even bothered to check the public records regarding the incident, he would have found out the elf truck was not loaded with filling materials quarried from Barangay Patitinan. The filling materials referred to in Escandor’s article were actually debris from landslides brought about by continuous rain in Sagnay, Camarines Sur. Aside from this, a temporary restraining order was issued by the Regional Trial Court of San Jose, Camarines Sur-Branch 30 regarding the incident.

A simple research would have also showed Escandor that the elf truck was, in fact, hired by Barangay Patitinan to remove the rock slumps and earth which clogged Kilometer 72 and the drainage canal there. The clearing operation was part of the local government unit’s disaster mitigation activity.

Escandor likewise failed to take into account the fact that appropriate charges have been instituted against members of the SKTF because of the event. Furthermore, contrary to Escandor’s report, the elf truck was a property of Partido Construction, a company which is owned by Abner P. Ferrer.

It was highly irresponsible for Escandor to attribute the commotion to the Fuentebella family without even attempting to verify the circumstances surrounding the incident.

—JOSE MIGUEL C. PALARCA, counsel for Rep. Arnulfo P. Fuentebella