Gov. Roel Degamo yesterday dubbed as “intrigue” the report that he is being groomed  to be the next provincial chairman of the Liberal Party in Negros Oriental.

He said some quarters are putting color on his closeness and association with several LP mayors in the province. He said  he has not been appointed nor is he being groomed as an LP stalwart, but admits he and Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, are friends.

Degamo ran under the banner of the PDP-Laban in the May 2013 elections, while Roxas of the LP is reportedly being groomed as standard-bearer in the 2016 presidential polls.

Meanwhile, Degamo was in Bohol yesterday to attend the Regional Development Council meeting, and to discuss  funding issues for projects in Negros Oriental.

The governor said he hopes  Department of Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos attends the meeting so  they can  take up  the disbursement of funds.

It was Relampagos who ordered the withdrawal and recall of the P480 million in calamity funds for Negros Oriental for the repair of infrastructure damaged by typhoon “Sendong”, without the imprimatur of the Office of the President that had approved the funding, he added.*JG