Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st District) yesterday admitted that he is the number one absentee in the House of Representatives but claimed he has done a lot more for his constituents even if he was outside the corridors of Congress.

Ledesma was reacting to reports from Manila that, despite his being the “most notorious chronic absentee” of the House of Representatives, “he will receive his entire salary, including bonuses, if he attends the last two sessions of the 14th Congress.”

The Negros solon said that, while the reports of his absences are accurate, he is “neither frivolous nor whimsical” in his actions. He also said he has not gone on any foreign travels at huge expense of the government as a congressman.

He said that, since 2007 he has been following up the establishment of the San Carlos Bioenergy plant, the first of its kind clean-energy co-generation plant in the country that began operations this year in San Carlos City and is a boost to the economy of his district.

It is a total enterprise, he said, because vast tracts of land subjected to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in his district that supply cane for the co-generation plant has also gotten a boost from its presence, he said.

He cited the vast tracts of land under the Ledesma Hermanos Agriculture Corp. and the Gamboa Hermanos Inc. covered by the CARP.

In spirit and in substance what he has done for his district cannot be denied, he said.

Ledesma also said the people who elected him into office pretty much like what he is doing, and that he is also working on putting business ventures in every town and city of the first district to boost their local economies.

He said he is supporting the presidential bid of administration bet Gilbert Teodoro, but would not say yet who his vice presidential bet will be.

Ledesma is seeking reelection as congressman of the first district in the May 10 polls.

*CPG