Officers of Advocacy for Good Governance (A4GG) is expected to appear before the Provincial Board on July 14 to answer questions pertaining to the controversial launching of the organization which ended with thousands of Palaweño youth starving and sleeping outside the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum.

Board Member Jim Gerald Pe said in a privilege speech during the regular session of the board June 30 that they would look into the matter and invite the officers of A4GG so that they would know who should be responsible for what had happened.

“Our proposal was to invite the officers and organizers of the launching of A4GG for us to know who should be held accountable to the ordeal that happened to the Palaweño youth whom they invited ngunit kanilang ginutom at hindi binigyan ng matutulugan.,” Pe said in an interview with the Palawan Sun.

The board had long planned to invite A4GG since the controversy of the Department of Public Works and Highways second engineering district wherein the organization was pointed as the one behind the revelation of the issue.

A4GG’s accreditation in the Provincial Board was then questioned. However, the board did not invite A4GG to appear before them.

This will be the first time that the board would invite A4GG, according to Pe.

The organization, according to its chairman and national president Atty. Rogelio “Butch” Bagabuyo, aims to introduce reforms in the government especially on graft and corruption. It teaches the youth to be responsible citizens and good leaders in the future, he said.

Pe said that while they respect the group’s advocacy issue, “we cannot just let them do these things to our youth. The provincial board cannot just let it pass that’s why we need to invite the A4GG officers so that we could ask them and if ever, hold them responsible for what had happened to the participants who attended their launching.”

A4GG was accredited by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last February 2009 but was registered to have an address in Cebu.

Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon said that if problems arose, A4GG cannot be charged in Puerto Princesa or in Palawan because of its registered address.

The organization was also accredited for only three months which, according to the vice-governor, lacks the capability to offer scholarship.

Sandwich for dinner

Around 8,000 youths from all over the province attended the two-day launching of A4GG but complained of being starved and having had to sleep at the City Coliseum.

They were only given sandwiches at 11 in the evening of June 28, their supposed first meal for the day. Those who have money bought their own food for lunch and supper.

In a press conference June 29, Bagabuyo apologized for what had happened.

“I know I must apologize for my failings, for my shortcomings. Because I am the national president, I have to take full responsibility and I cannot be pointing fingers to any of my staff. It is simply my failure and for that, I hope people whom I have hurt unintentionally would also have the heart to forgive me,” Bagabuyo expressed, adding that he was “truly sorry” and “did not mean to hurt anybody.”

He also explained that A4GG only allotted P30 per youth for the two-day event but decided to order from a fast food restaurant to make up for the previous day.

Bagabuyo also clarified that he did not promise the youths to be accommodated in any hotel or inn.

“I have personally told all of them and all my coordinators that their accommodation would be in covered courts and in the sports complex,” Bagabuyo said. He added that he instructed his staff to tell the participants to bring their own mats, blankets, and towels.

On June 29, 21 youths were hospitalized after losing consciousness because of hunger and lack of sleep. A4GG, however, shouldered the expenses of those hospitalized.

Promised scholarship

Youths who attended the launching, mostly from municipalities, said that A4GG promised them a scholarship grant if they become members. Their parents, according to them, allowed them to go to Puerto Princesa because of this.

Bagabuyo, however, denied this, saying that he “never made a statement to that effect.”

“The scholarship will start in 2010-2011 . . . because in accordance with A4GG’s constitution and bylaws, one can only become a full-pledge member after finishing the basic leadership seminar workshop . . . and to make sure that you recruit ten others to become associate members,” he explained. He added that a 10-peso monthly due should also be paid.

‘A4GG is A4GG’

Since A4GG’s birth in Palawan, the organization was constantly linked to businessman Jose Pepito Alvarez or JCA, a confirmed candidate for 2010’s gubernatorial race.

A4GG, however, said that it is a different entity and that Alvarez is only a donor of the organization.

“A4GG is A4GG and JCA is a different personality. These are two different things,” Bagabuyo said.

“In our seminar-workshops, you will see in our certificates the logo of A4GG and the logo of JCA but only because JCA co-sponsors our seminars,” he explained, adding that this may be the reason why people think that A4GG is JCA.

The launching of A4GG, which was done on the birthday of Alvarez, June 29, was supposed to be his gift to Alvarez, Bagabuyo said.

“But I know that I have caused him pain and as a matter of fact, I already asked apology to him. I know that in what we did, nadadamay siya because most of the people don’t believe that A4GG is not JCA,” Bagabuyo told the local media.

Asked for a reaction, Alvarez said that the youths really need help.

“All of them should finish their studies and we will help them,” Alvarez stated.

The group Advocacy for Good Governance (A4GG), an organization allegedly formed by allies of businessman Jose Pepito Alvarez, was pointed by the Second Engineering District as the one who prepared the evaluation report of Malampaya-funded projects in Southern Palawan.

Engr. Mario Soriano, OIC assistant district engineer of the Second Engineering District, said a certain Engr. Alconcel, allegedly an engineer from A4GG, made the evaluation report which came out simultaneously with Engr. Antonio Escala’s affidavit.

“Engr. Alconcel . . . from A4GG prepared the report, together with a certain Benjie Katon who went to our office,” Soriano related during the Provincial Board’s regular session May 19.

The evaluation report stated that “most of the accomplishments claimed in the Palawan Second Engineering District report . . . were not true.”

“A pattern was established by the personalities involved to take advantage of the remoteness of projects. There is a blatant attempt to mislead the public on the part of the contractor and the implementing agency,” the report added.

The report, signed by Federico B. Alconcel, accordingly a registered civil engineer, focused on infrastructure projects in the second district which the district claimed as complete.

“Engineers from A4GG conducted inspections and surveys. They also mentioned that they were going to look into other projects,” Soriano related.

Soriano said they told A4GG that they should have at least went to the Second Engineering District Office before conducting any survey.

“If they have visited our office, we could have sent our representative to accompany them so that their findings wouldn’t be one-sided,” Soriano told the Board, adding that that was the first time he heard of A4GG.

Some members of the Provincial Board, on the other hand, claimed that they know nothing about the organization. Board Member Gil Acosta, lately being linked to rumored gubernatorial candidate Alvarez, claimed that he had never heard of the group.

“I only learned now that there is another group, aside from your department (second engineering district), that is evaluating the project,” Acosta addressed Soriano during the Board’s questioning on Malampaya-funded projects anomalies.

Acosta said they only heard of A4GG from Soriano, adding that the Board is not yet looking on forthcoming meetings about the organization.

“There are no formal manifestation coming from the chairman of the committee (of the whole), but maybe the issue will crop up on the next session,” Acosta said.

Palawan Second Engineering District on Tuesday, May 19, denied the allegations entailed in the construction of Malampaya-funded projects in Southern Palawan.

During the Provincial Board’s questioning, Engr. Mario Soriano of the Second Engineering District refuted statements accusing them of mismanagement in the southern infrastructure projects.

Soriano, chief of the construction section in the district, was mentioned by Engr. Antonio Escala in his affidavit as the one who pressured him to “exaggerate the accomplishment reports” and who was knowledgeable in all the anomalous practices in the second engineering district.

“I always visit the projects, and since I saw that the remaining activities of the contractor would be finished before the contract expires, we reported that as 100 percent complete,” Soriano explained, adding that they have to submit a progress report to the office every 22nd of the month.

He also mentioned that the report does not guarantee the contractor to be automatically paid, as claimed by Escala. Soriano said the contractor has to prepare certain requirements and will go through various processes such as quantity determination and validation of completed work before they can issue a billing.

Soriano said there were inspectors who assess the projects and monitor the performance of the contractors. Depending on the findings, the contractor has to comply with the corrections before they can be paid, Soriano claimed.

“The contractor cannot be paid in full unless they have completed the corrections,” he stated, adding that they only received the assessment report on May 11 and that it would take the contractor not more than two months in preparing the requirements.

Escala, in his affidavit, mentioned that Soriano reported the projects as complete “to help the contractors collect their progress billing in full even though (the projects were) not yet fully completed.”

Soriano related that the progress reports stating projects to be complete were signed by Escala as project engineer.

“The three remaining projects were not yet certified by Engr. Escala as completed. The other three, were already certified,” he said.

During the previous Board’s questioning where Escala was present, he said he did not sign any of the reports. Soriano, however, showed the Provincial Board documents stating projects as completed, signed by Escala.

Out of the six projects Escala mentioned in his affidavit, three were already completed and fully-paid last year. Soriano concluded that Escala might have mistaken the remaining three unfinished projects to be fully-paid already.

“The fact that the three projects have not been fully-paid may have substantiated Engr. Escala’s allegations that we exaggerated the accomplishment report to help the contractor collect (payments),” Soriano explained.

Material testing

Escala also claimed in his affidavit that the materials used in all six P20-million projects in Quezon did not undergo material and quality testing.

Engr. Dominador Alonzabe, chief of materials quality control system of the second engineering district, denied Escala’s allegation. The Department of Public Works and Highways, according to him, has a policy that all materials incorporated in infrastructure projects shall be tested.

“We don’t have a project engineer who allows contractors to use untested materials,” Alonzabe said. “In fact, the project engineer justifies that all materials used in the projects were tested in accordance with the certification,” he continued.

Alonzabe showed the Provincial Board a certificate of quality control assurance signed by Escala and a certain Engr. Uy as the project material inspector.

The certification stated that “the materials used conformed with the requirements of the projects.”

Alonzabe went on explaining that as the project engineer, Escala certifies all the projects under him.

“If he was saying that we falsified the (material) test, that would mean he did not sign the certificate of quality control assurance,” Alonzabe stated.

“Face-off”

The Provincial Board set another question and answer hour between the parties involved.

“We invited for a special session to concentrate on this issue. Engr. Soriano and Engr. Escala might come,” Board Member Gil Acosta said, adding that a “face-off” might reveal more issues concerning the projects funded by the province’s share from the Malampaya gas operations.

Board Member Joselito Cadlaon, in an interview, said that the Board wanted to know the truth.

“If Engr. Escala has a concrete evidence to support his allegations, this issue should not be discussed here in the Provincial Board. This should be brought directly to the Ombudsman,” Cadlaon stated.

A special session, scheduled on May 27, would focus on the affidavit of Engr. Escala and the explanation of the Second Engineering District. The Board would also probe on another set of sworn statements issued by three contractors also concerning Malampaya-funded projects.

Palawan Second Engineering District on Tuesday, May 19, denied the allegations entailed in the construction of Malampaya-funded projects in Southern Palawan.

During the Provincial Board’s questioning, Engr. Mario Soriano of the Second Engineering District refuted statements accusing them of mismanagement in the southern infrastructure projects.

Soriano, chief of the construction section in the district, was mentioned by Engr. Antonio Escala in his affidavit as the one who pressured him to “exaggerate the accomplishment reports” and who was knowledgeable in all the anomalous practices in the second engineering district.

“I always visit the projects, and since I saw that the remaining activities of the contractor would be finished before the contract expires, we reported that as 100 percent complete,” Soriano explained, adding that they have to submit a progress report to the office every 22nd of the month.

He also mentioned that the report does not guarantee the contractor to be automatically paid, as claimed by Escala. Soriano said the contractor has to prepare certain requirements and will go through various processes such as quantity determination and validation of completed work before they can issue a billing.

Soriano said there were inspectors who assess the projects and monitor the performance of the contractors. Depending on the findings, the contractor has to comply with the corrections before they can be paid, Soriano claimed.

“The contractor cannot be paid in full unless they have completed the corrections,” he stated, adding that they only received the assessment report on May 11 and that it would take the contractor not more than two months in preparing the requirements.

Escala, in his affidavit, mentioned that Soriano reported the projects as complete “to help the contractors collect their progress billing in full even though (the projects were) not yet fully completed.”

Soriano related that the progress reports stating projects to be complete were signed by Escala as project engineer.

“The three remaining projects were not yet certified by Engr. Escala as completed. The other three, were already certified,” he said.

During the previous Board’s questioning where Escala was present, he said he did not sign any of the reports. Soriano, however, showed the Provincial Board documents stating projects as completed, signed by Escala.

Out of the six projects Escala mentioned in his affidavit, three were already completed and fully-paid last year. Soriano concluded that Escala might have mistaken the remaining three unfinished projects to be fully-paid already.

“The fact that the three projects have not been fully-paid may have substantiated Engr. Escala’s allegations that we exaggerated the accomplishment report to help the contractor collect (payments),” Soriano explained.

Material testing

Escala also claimed in his affidavit that the materials used in all six P20-million projects in Quezon did not undergo material and quality testing.

Engr. Dominador Alonzabe, chief of materials quality control system of the second engineering district, denied Escala’s allegation. The Department of Public Works and Highways, according to him, has a policy that all materials incorporated in infrastructure projects shall be tested.

“We don’t have a project engineer who allows contractors to use untested materials,” Alonzabe said. “In fact, the project engineer justifies that all materials used in the projects were tested in accordance with the certification,” he continued.

Alonzabe showed the Provincial Board a certificate of quality control assurance signed by Escala and a certain Engr. Uy as the project material inspector.

The certification stated that “the materials used conformed with the requirements of the projects.”

Alonzabe went on explaining that as the project engineer, Escala certifies all the projects under him.

“If he was saying that we falsified the (material) test, that would mean he did not sign the certificate of quality control assurance,” Alonzabe stated.

“Face-off”

The Provincial Board set another question and answer hour between the parties involved.

“We invited for a special session to concentrate on this issue. Engr. Soriano and Engr. Escala might come,” Board Member Gil Acosta said, adding that a “face-off” might reveal more issues concerning the projects funded by the province’s share from the Malampaya gas operations.

Board Member Joselito Cadlaon, in an interview, said that the Board wanted to know the truth.

“If Engr. Escala has a concrete evidence to support his allegations, this issue should not be discussed here in the Provincial Board. This should be brought directly to the Ombudsman,” Cadlaon stated.

A special session, scheduled on May 27, would focus on the affidavit of Engr. Escala and the explanation of the Second Engineering District. The Board would also probe on another set of sworn statements issued by three contractors also concerning Malampaya-funded projects.

By Jhelyn G. Andal

The Provincial Board last week passed a resolution supporting Governor Joel T. Reyes’ move to place the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital (SPPH) in a two-month “hospital holiday.”

During its 87th regular session, May 5, the Board, after conducting two sets of questioning regarding the controversies going on in the hospital, finally arrived with a decision to temporarily close the medical facility in Brooke’s Point.

“The resolution we adopted was to effect a rationalization program for the SPPH. This means there will be a revamp of all the (hospital) employees . . .And as an incident of this, is what we call a hospital holiday for two months,” Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon explained.

He added that they used the term “hospital holiday” since it was what the Department of Health accepts so that there would be no need for the hospital to acquire a new license once it reopen.

The Board also expressed hope that the Provincial Health Office (PHO) would be able to take necessary measures while the resolution has not yet been signed by the governor and the date of the closure still uncertain. The PHO should be immediately ready for any unlikely situation, the Board said.

A reverse situation might occur, Ponce de Leon said in an interview. Hospital employees might also declare their own holiday.

“Under the civil service code, this could constitute for abandonment, and there are legal actions for that. What’s important is that the PHO is able to immediately effect contingency measures,” the vice-governor furthered.

In case the employees stop working, someone should be put as head in the hospital to facilitate the operations and attend to the needs of the patients, he stated.

The idea to temporarily close the SPPH rooted from personal conflicts between hospital employees. An interim committee was conducted to settle the situation but failed.

“Our efforts to establish a good working relationship between the employees did not materialize,” Dr. Eduardo Cruz, acting provincial health officer and head of the interim committee, said. The only solution left was the reorganization of personnel, he added.

All positions in the hospital would be declared vacant until the PHO has found new employees to fill these positions. The interim committee said that they have already contacted personnel from other district hospitals in the province to be assigned in Brooke’s Point.

Current SPPH employees, on the other hand, would meet with the interim committee for their preferred assignments.

Hospital personnel present during the Board’s questioning assured that they would accept the decision. But prior to the approval of the resolution, 83 out of 98 employees, both permanent and contractual, appealed to reconsider the motion for the hospital closure.

They clarified that most of the employees were not involved in the conflicts going on at SPPH. Patients were not also neglected, they said.

Dr. Cruz also confirmed that they have not received any formal complaint from patients. However, he said that they do not want to wait for such before acting on the problem.

A doctor at SPPH said internal conflicts in the hospital had long been there. She related that every time a new hospital head assumes office, personnel and employees often file a petition against the new head, creating differences between the staff.

The Provincial Government is considering the temporary closure of the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital (SPPH) in Brooke’s Point because of the public health service being “compromised” due to personal misunderstandings between hospital personnel.

In his letter addressed to the Provincial Board, Gov. Joel Reyes proposed the “enactment of an ordinance declaring the temporary closure of SPPH” for two months.

“The present organizational set up of hospital personnel . . . has been deeply polarized which has compromised public health service. Inevitably, the welfare of patients seeking the services of our government hospital may also be put at risk,” Reyes stated in his letter.

During the Provincial Board’s 86th regular session April 28, the interim committee, which was formed to deal with the issues going on at SPPH, explained that there was no more harmonious relationship between the staff. They furthered that various measures were taken to settle the differences between the hospital employees but the individuals involved were uncooperative.

“Our mission to provide public service through medical service . . . is no longer being addressed because of the internal dispute in the hospital,” Atty. Elena Rodriguez, member of the interim committee, said.

Questions on management, leadership and even moral values of employees also arose, she related, adding that the situation had came to a point that when a patient dies, the management would say that it was sabotaged by an employee.

The hospital staff seemed to be divided into two groups; one for Dr. Mary Ann Navarro, SPPH’s current hospital chief, and the other for Dr. Dane De Leon, previous head of the hospital.

“They (hospital employees) have become so callous that there is a need to disintegrate the present set-up and detail them to other district hospitals where they can better serve the public,” Reyes explained in his letter.

He added that “there is a need for temporary closure pending recruitment and hiring of new employees to be assigned at SPPH.”

Although the governor and an interim committee had recommended for the hospital’s temporary closure, the Provincial Board, on the other hand, was still hoping to find alternative solutions on the matter other then closure.

“It’s not easy to disregard the letter of the governor. But the Board, with all due respect to the committee, will be the final arbiter of this,” Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon said.

He added that they “need to have a strong basis on the decision we will make.”

According to Board Member Ernesto Llacuna, “two months is quite long considering the status of the hospital.”“I hope we will be able to find measures to lessen the impact of the closure. Municipal mayors are also against the idea (of closure),” he said.

The Provincial Board has not yet made a decision on the matter. Another question and answer hour on the issue would be conducted next week during the 87th regular session of the Board, according to Ponce de Leon.

The City Government would use a P100 million loan to cover the unfinished projects funded by the stalled release of Malampaya gas proceeds.

The amount, which would be used mainly for the city’s infrastructure projects, was the city’s alternative to the still unreleased share of Palawan and Puerto Princesa from the natural gas operations.

“Because of our portion from Malampaya still not released, we had to find other source of funds, and this is what we had seen,” Councilor Roger Castro, in an interview, said.

The city had allocated most of its Malampaya share to infrastructure projects such as road constructions, and to finish these projects, the city government had to look for other sources, Castro added.

Malampaya-funded projects in the city were the reclamation of the Baywalk area, construction of roads leading to Sabang as well as the southern barangay roads, and barangay electrification project, among others.

Castro said Puerto Princesa’s internal revenue allotment (IRA) would be used as collateral for the loan which would be from the Landbank. He added that the city still has unreleased IRA.

“It was like using our IRA in advance to maintain the projects,” Castro said.

The councilor also clarified that the P100 million was the same negotiated price between the city government and the Landbank.

“This was the previous negotiation authority that we have given and we are just ratifying it now,” Castro explained.

He added that the council was sure that the loan has an allowable interest. However, Castro said that he did not know how much the percentage of the interest would be.

“I’m not particular with that (interest) but I’m sure that this would not be passed if the interest given by the bank was not the lowest,” he told the local media.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Engr. Antonio Escala had given his explanation a day after Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon compelled him to explain, for not appearing during the questioning of the Provincial Board on alleged anomalies in infrastructure projects in southern Palawan last week.

In his letter addressed to the Provincial Board, Escala said that if he had attended, he “could have been charged of abandonment of work or some other administrative charges.”

“In as much as I wanted to be present in the question and answer hour, I was afraid that . . . I could have been charged of abandonment of work or some other administrative charges for the reason that the letter invitation was addressed to me and not to my superior Engr. Rudy Angulo,” Escala explained.

He stressed he would be “willing and able” to appear in the next invitation provided that the invitation would be addressed to Angulo.

Escala was supposed to be on the question and answer hour called by the Provincial Board regarding his affidavit revealing the “Before the order can be finalized, Engr. Escala appeared here personally and submitted his explanation,” Ponce de Leon said.

Escala’s explanation was referred to the Board’s Committee on Public Works which would study if the Board would still have Escala for another set of questioning.

The Provincial Board is ready to charge Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Engr. Antonio Escala for contempt after not showing up for the Board’s question and answer hour, April 22, despite confirmation of his attendance.

Escala, who revealed the alleged anomalies in Malampaya-funded infrastructure projects in southern Palawan, did not appear before the Board to clarify the statements he made in his affidavit.

“We will issue him an order (to explain) why he failed to appear despite due notice,” Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon said.

Ponce de Leon gave Escala 48 hours to explain his absence during the Board’s special session. According to him, failure to give an explanation might force them to file a charge of contempt to the engineer.

The Provincial Board has the power to cite anyone for contempt if they do not appear in proceedings conducted by the Board despite of them being duly notified, Ponce de Leon explained. He added that the revised Local Government Code has expanded the powers of the Provincial Board.

According to the Board’s secretariat who contacted Escala, the engineer confirmed a day before the proceedings that he would attend the questioning.

The secretariat had been trying to communicate with Engr. Escala even while the questioning was ongoing but all of these had been futile, Ponce de Leon said.

“In view of the fact that Engr. Escala had been duly notified and is aware of the schedule but has not appeared without any explanation. . ., he is directed to explain to the Board. . . as to why he should not be dealt with in accordance with the rules of this August body,” Ponce de Leon stated.

Board members also showed their disappointment over Escala’s absence since they believed that Escala has the most controversial statement among the three affidavits which appeared during the last few weeks.

Escala’s sworn statement disclosed anomalies in infrastructure projects funded by Malampaya in the second district such as road constructions in the municipality of Quezon.

“We were hoping that Engr. Escala would be here so that we could ask him for clarifications on his statements since the projects involved the Malampaya fund,” Board Member Leoncio Ola said.

Present during the Board’s questioning were Engr. Ernesto Villaos, Brgy. Sta. Monica Chairman Rene Godoy and broadcaster Louie Larrosa.

Villaos and Godoy also issued sworn statements involving anomalies in projects done in Puerto Princesa City. However, the Board hardly raised questions to them because of the issue on jurisdiction since the projects involved in their statements were in the city.

The province had lost its power to conduct any proceedings concerning Puerto Princesa since it became a highly-urbanized city.

Villaos and Godoy also appeared clueless whether the projects were funded by the Malampaya proceeds.

According to the Board, they could not really question Villaos and Godoy unless they were certain that funds were from Malampaya.

“The projects may be funded by the city of Puerto Princesa itself so what we can do here is to forward the issue to the City Council or to other offices concerned,” Ponce de Leon said.

Board Member Gil Acosta was all praises to businessman Jose Pepito Alvarez.

In a resolution, Acosta commended Alvarez, chairman of JCA Foundation, for “his valuable contribution in the field of medical services in the entire province of Palawan.”

Alvarez’s foundation has been conducting medical missions throughout the province.

According to Acosta, no other organizations or individuals in the province had done what JCA Foundation is doing.

“To me, it is very important. Nobody has done this yet, province-wide. Thousands of people were benefited because of this effort of JCA Foundation,” Acosta told the local media in an interview April 21.

“I think, the people should know that the Provincial Board, as a collegial body, is also looking at the developments directly affecting and helping the Palaweños,” he related.

In his privilege speech during the Board’s 85th regular session, Acosta recounted his appreciation to the several medical missions accomplished by JCA Foundation. However, nobody from the Provincial Board reacted to his statements.

Asked about this, the board member replied that they were in a hurry and that he only requested Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon, presiding officer during the Board’s regular session, to allow him to deliver his speech.

“I think my colleagues are glad with the resolution. Nobody had objected,” Acosta said.

He also stated that he does not mind being connected politically to Alvarez since the businessman’s name was spreading as one of the gubernatorial candidates for the upcoming 2010 elections.

“I don’t mind at all. I do not look at that. I’m only after the people benefited by his medical missions,” Acosta told the media, adding that he “haven’t heard Mr. Alvarez declaring his candidacy.”