February 24, 2010
Sticker scandal hits Capitol
A sample of Rep. Jun-Jun Tupas’ sticker allegedly printed at the Iloilo provincial capitol. (Photo by Tara Yap, courtesy of Ray Cabarles)
By Francis Allan L. Angelo
A COMPUTER expert of the Iloilo provincial government got a mere slap on the wrist for allegedly printing the campaign materials of the son of Gov. Niel D. Tupas Sr.
Gov. Tupas said Edgar Piansay, computer maintenance specialist of the Capitol’s Management Information System (MIS), was reprimanded when the latter allegedly printed campaign stickers of 5th district Rep. Niel “Jun-Jun” Tupas Jr.
Tupas said Piansay was also warned not to repeat the act to avoid controversy and malice.
Rep. Tupas is aiming for reelection against his cousin Vice Gov. Rolex T. Suplico.
Piansay had said over RMN-Iloilo that he just repaired and tested the printer for Rep. Tupas’ stickers. He denied printing in bulk the congressman’s campaign stickers.
Piansay’s statement is different from Gov. Tupas’ justification who claimed that Piansay was testing the computer the latter repaired.
RMN-Iloilo reporter Ray Cabarles said the stickers were printed on more or less a ream (500 sheets) of paper but could not determine its size or dimension.
The stickers were being cut and segregated by three Capitol interns from the West Visayas State University-Calinog campus inside the MIS office.
The stickers are 1 inch wide and 2.5 inches long, according to Cabarles.
MIS sources said Rep. Tupas’ stickers were also printed at the Capitol during the campaign period of the 2007 elections.
Suplico said he saw Rep. Tupas’ stickers being used in envelopes circulated in the 5th congressional district.
But Gov. Tupas said the sticker issue is being blown up to make him and his son look bad before the public.
The governor said some people want to impute malice against them, especially because of the political season. (With reports from RMN-Iloilo)
scrimgeour
