The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has approved the appointment of two men, a close ally of Governor Arthur Yap and a high-profile lawyer, as members of the Bohol Light Company, Incorporated’s (BLCI) board of directors through a resolution.

The resolution was passed on Tuesday following a recommendation by Yap pushing for the appointment of former provincial administrator Alfonso Damalerio II, his campaign manager in the 2019 polls, and Amando Ligutan, one of the legal counsels of former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña and the family of slain Bien Unido mayor Gisela Boniel.

Yap through a letter submitted to the SP requested to have both men replace Emman Mende and David Tirol as BLCI board members.

The governor however did not cite specific reasons for their replacement in the board of the BLCI, one of three power distribution utilities in the province.

“It is necessary for the August Body to pass a resolution endorsing these two gentlemen as members of the Board of Directors of BLCI, representing the interest of the Provincial Government of Bohol, and assigning at least one share of stock of BLCI each in their respective favour,” Yap said in a letter dated October 9.

Meanwhile, some SP members have shown that they will not be a rubber stamp for the administration.

Several SP members, both from the opposition and administration, expressed dismay that Ligutan and Damalerio were not presented to the SP before the approval of the resolution.

Following the resolution’s passage, Senior Board Member Dionisio Victor Balite requested for both Damalerio and Ligutan to appear before the legislative body for introduction and interview.

Balite’s proposal was made after the SP also passed a resolution approving the appointment of Ramon Alikpala and Francisco Pioquinto as new board representatives to the Bohol Water Utilities Incorporated (BWUI) with both also not presented to the provincial lawmakers.

The appointments were also endorsed by Yap as both are known water specialists.

Yap, as chief executive of Bohol, has the authority and the prerogative to order the appointment of the BWUI board members.

This exercise of power is provided in Section 3 (b) of Presidential Decree 198 or the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973 which stipulates that the appointing authority for the board shall be the governor of the province within which the water district is located. (R. Tutas)