MAYOR VETOES RESERVISTS’ AID

Osmeña says it is not his priority, Tumulak respects mayor’s decision

SAYING it is not part of his priorities, Cebu City Mayor Osmeña vetoed the proposal of Councilor Dave Tumulak to grant honorarium to at least 500 reservists of the Armed Forces in the Philippines (AFP) deployed in the city.

In his veto message, Osmeña said that while he recognized the objective of Tumulak to support the cause of the AFP in maintaining peace and order in the city, the scholarship program remained his top priority.

As proposed, each reservist would supposedly get P4,000 in cash allowance from the City Government.

“The AFP Reserve has never demonstrated any willingness or initiative to assist in peace and order. The Philippine Marine Reserve, of which I am the Commanding Officer, has accomplished 100x more and they ask for nothing,” Osmeña said in his veto message.

However, during the council’s discussion of the veto message of Osmeña, Councilor Jose Daluz III reminded the Office of the Mayor and the City Legal Office that the mayor can just deny or disapprove the request of the City Council and not through a veto message.

Under the Local Government Code, Daluz said, the mayor can only veto an ordinance or reso- lution concerning public investment, development or those that will create liability for the City Government.

Supplemental budget

In his proposed resolution, Tumulak would have wanted the Office of the Mayor to include in the supplemental budget for next year the allocation for the honorarium of the AFP reservists.

It was earlier approved by the City Council but with the disapproval by the executive department, the granting of the cash aid will no longer push through.

Tumulak, who heads the committee on public order and safety, would have wanted to give the honorarium to the military reservists to support the cause of AFP along with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in maintaining peace and order and visibility to boost security.

Tumulak has also been designated as deputy mayor for police matters by Osmeña.

In an interview, Tumulak said he respected the decision of the mayor.

“We will just explain to them that the granting of honorarium for them is not the priority of the mayor yet. But we respect the decision of the mayor,” he added.