Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson has denied allegations of misappropriation of the tobacco excise tax spent for supposed highly questionable infrastructure projects in the province.
He said such accusation was “baseless and unfounded.”
“That is just politically motivated,” he told the Manila Standard.
Tobacco farmer-leaders belonging to the National Federation of Tobacco Growers and Cooperatives on Thursday asked the government to step into the alleged misappropriation of tobacco excise tax under Republic Act 7171 that should go to projects that would help and boost the productivity and income of the tobacco growers.
At a news conference in Quezon City, federation president Bernard Vicente, along with his vice president Mario Cabasal, said the provincial government of wantonly spending almost P2 billion from the tobacco excise tax under Republic Act 7171 for the construction of the unfinished farmers’ convention center during Singson’s administration, farmers’ dancing fountain, tobacco barn in Sinait municipality, repair and improvement of the Quirino Stadium and other “multi-line” projects.
