Council votes to sit on P2.8B budget

Council votes to sit on P2.8B budget

THREE more votes were needed for the Cebu City Council to move on and take up a proposed P2.8-billion supplemental budget, which includes workers’ incentives and funds to address garbage collection problems.

The discussion remains suspended.

In a 9-7 vote, the majority bloc of the City Council rejected yesterday the proposal to lift its suspension on discussions on the proposed budget.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, in a privilege speech, appealed to his colleagues to remember their obligations and resume discussions on the proposed first supplemental budget (SB 1).

“Considering the current circumstances, there is an absolute need to review the accountability of this council. Being a member of this council is not a benefit but a privilege. We exist for the sole purpose of creating ordinances aimed for the betterment of our society,” he said.

The majority bloc decided last week to hold in abeyance the approval of the proposed appropriation, after lawyer Romulo Torres of Barangay Basak San Nicolas filed a case against the council.

Torres wants the court to stop the City Government from using P8.35 billion—a down payment it received for some lots in the South Road Properties (SRP).

In a related development, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Generosa Labra has backed off from hearing the civil suit seeking to stop the Cebu City Government from spending P8.35 billion it received as down payment for some lots.

Labra, presiding judge of RTC Branch 23, inhibited herself from the civil petition filed by lawyer Romulo T. Torres against Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and the City Council members.

Friends

She described Torres as “a close friend.” Torres is also a former assistant prosecutor of Cebu City.

Judge Labra ordered to forward the case records to the Office of the Clerk of Court so the petition can be raffled off again.

He filed the case last September, a month after the City Government received the down payment from Filinvest Land Inc. and a consortium of Ayala Land and SM.

In yesterday’s session, Carillo said that the council discarded the proposed P40million budget that is supposed to cover the P5,000 financial assistance of each of the 4,483 solo parents in the city. It also discarded the P87 million in additional funds for garbage collection and disposal, the P77.3 million for some 5,000 City Hall employees’ productivity incentive, as well as the P2.4-billion payment for the remaining SRP loan.

“Our lack or absence of initiative caused numerous citizens to be caught between a political crossfire they don’t deserve to be in. This exhibits a degree of immaturity among the council, which is unacceptable,” he said.

“I empathize with our people who express frustration and are discouraged by our politics... The people do not need puppets who reiterate partisan interests. They deserve good governance,” he added

In a separate privilege speech, Councilor James Cuenco said the maneuvers to defer approval of SB 1 are just “too much to take.”

Differences

“Today, the line has been drawn and the gloves are off. I thought we could all survive this as one council, respecting party differences, at that same time believing that loyalty to our party ends when it becomes in conflict with the interest of our constituents whom we all vowed to serve... I can see ugly hands of politics once again wreaking havoc on this very essential piece of legislation,” he said.

Cuenco criticized the case that was “conveniently” filed by Torres, whom he described as “a phantom.”

“Many times in the past, I have crossed party lines and voted with the majority when, in my heart of hearts, a particular issue had to be either defended or rejected. But this time around, I howl in protest to the sinister maneuver of the majority bloc who has run roughshod on this budget ordinance, which I believe is of utmost importance,” he added.

Cuenco then said he is tempted to resign as a councilor because of what is happening but added he’d rather choose to move on and fight together with members of the minority bloc.

Cuenco then had his privilege speech noted.

For Carillo’s part, after delivering his speech, he moved to lift the suspension so that the council can take up the proposed supplemental budget again.

Councilor Margarita Osmeña, chairperson of the budget and finance committee, explained that the prepayment of the SRP loan—which the majority supports—cannot be done yet because there are many documentary requirements that need to be complied with.

‘We’re one’

However, she said that the council has already authorized Mayor Michael Rama to negotiate with the Land Bank of the Philippines for the prepayment.

On the financial assistance for solo parents, she said no one will qualify to receive it yet since the Solo Parent Ordinance of the City provides that those who can avail of it are those who have voted for three elections after the measure’s approval. The ordinance was passed in 2014.

“Again, I would like to reiterate, in behalf of my colleagues, that we are one as a council. We come from different directions. Hopefully, we are going toward one, which is the good of our city. No one can love this city more than the other,” she added.

Carillo, a lawyer, said the Local Government Code provides that when a budget is presented before the council, the legislative body should approve it or deny it—not suspend delibera- tions on it.

“Nothing in the law will allow us to suspend the budget. There is none. That is why I am appealing to let us perform our function. Let us continue with the deliberation and pass or deny it,” he said.

Councilor Sisinio Andales questioned why no one opposed the suspension when the council met last week.

Discussion

Not one councilor from the minority bloc, members of Team Rama, was present when SB 1 was tackled last week. Some of them were absent while some were out of the session hall.

Councilor Noel Wenceslao, for his part, asked why a case, which has not yet been resolved by the court, should stop a government action.

Councilor Hanz Abella added that the court has not even issued a temporary restraining order against the City.

But Councilor Alvin Arcilla then asked why the City did not pay the Asian College of Technology the P135 million it owed them, when the graft case against the school’s previous owner Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa (Cebu City, south district) is still pending.

Carillo answered there is already a ruling from the Office of the Ombudsman convicting Abellanosa for conflict of interest over his involvement in the City’s scholarship program during his stint as councilor. (Abellanosa has filed a motion for reconsideration.)

Carillo moved that the councilors vote on the proposal to lift the suspension.

Nine councilors voted against it.

How they voted

They are Councilors Osmeña, Andales, Arcilla, Nestor Archival, Roberto Cabarrubias, Alvin Dizon, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Mary Ann delos Santos and Nida Cabrera. Councilor Lea Japson was not able to vote as she was out of the session hall.

Those who voted for it are Councilors Carillo, Cuenco, Wenceslao, Abella, Dave Tumulak, Philip Zafra and Richard Osmeña.

With the result of the voting, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella then said that Carillo’s motion was “killed.”

Following this, Councilor Margarita Osmeña delivered a privilege speech and recommended to the executive department to use the P1.9 billion from the continuing appropriations dating as far as 2007 yet, to fund some of the items under SB 1, such as the employees’ incentive and the garbage tipping fees.

She said the budget and finance committee is willing to sit down with the local finance committee of the executive department to discuss this.

Sought for comment, Rama said yesterday the council should just do its job of approving or disapproving the SB 1.

On what he will do now that the SB remains deferred, Rama said, “Abangan ang susunod na kabanata (Wait and see).”