Former Iloilo Vice Governor Eyes Reforms, Better Roads

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

A former Iloilo politician said Friday, November 22, that if he returns to the provincial capitol, he plans to address enforcement issues on provincial ordinance violations and improve provincial roads, especially in upland areas.

Lawyer Rolex Suplico, who has been out of politics for 14 years, told Daily Guardian on Air that disputes over unpaid real property taxes (RPT) on agrarian reform lands have placed financial burdens on local government units that would otherwise benefit from these payments.

The lands in question were transferred to farmer-beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and its related initiatives.

“Farmer-beneficiaries are saying the [private] landowner should pay the RPT, while the landowner claims the government has already taken the land, so the farmer-beneficiary should pay,” Suplico said.

“The local government units are the ones suffering because people aren’t paying. They’re just pointing fingers.”

This issue, Suplico noted, contributes to clogged dockets in municipal trial courts, which handle cases involving RPT non-payments and violations of ordinances with penal clauses.

“We have many ordinances with violations handled by municipal trial courts. Often, people don’t even show up. I want to look into how we can declog court dockets for ordinance violations at both the municipal and provincial levels,” he added.

Suplico also highlighted the need to improve and maintain provincial roads, particularly in farmland areas.

“For example, in Balasan, the road there is under the provincial government. How do we maintain that? When I was a congressman, I worked to replace wooden bridges with bailey bridges. Back then, when the province repaired bridges, they would remove the wood, pour asphalt over the cement, and put the wood back anyway,” he said.

On the fishing industry in his home district, Suplico proposed regulating non-resident fishers to curb illegal practices.

He suggested color- and number-coding fishing boats based on their area of origin, a concept inspired by the jeepney system in Olongapo City.

Suplico shared that he had previously discussed this idea with his uncle, the late Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr., but it had not gained traction.

He is running under the Uswag Ilonggo party line, led by Rep. James “Jojo” Ang, and aligned with Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., who is seeking a third and final term.

Suplico last served as vice governor from 2007 to 2010, gaining prominence for his comments on the National Broadband Network (NBN) controversy during the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

He also moderated debates for Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) during the 2022 elections and served as one of its lawyers.

Suplico previously represented Iloilo’s 5th District in Congress from 1998 to 2007 and served on the provincial board from 1995 to 1998.

He was succeeded in Congress by his cousins Niel Tupas Jr. and Raul Tupas.

One of his motivations for running is the state of road expansions in northern Iloilo, particularly the 19-kilometer Barotac Viejo-San Rafael Road and the 33-kilometer arterial road between Poblacion Ajuy and Crossing Parian.

He considers these projects part of his accomplishments as district representative, funded through loans from Japan.

Suplico said he has received complaints about the rapid deterioration of these expanded roads.