Legal poser: Who’s in charge in Roxas City?

Roxas City employees and local residents were plunged into confusion last week. This was when Vice Mayor Alan Celino assumed as acting mayor vice Mayor Antonio del Rosario.

City officials and employees were bewildered when city administrator Emmanuel Losanta issued a memorandum circular stressing that he had been designated as acting mayor in writing by ailing Mayor Del Rosario who was flown to Manila on Aug. 31.

Losanta also warned department heads not to transact business with Celino. The latter is an elected opposition official who ran under the banner of former presidential bet Fernando Poe Jr.

But Celino reportedly pulled a fast one on Mayor Del Rosario. Last week, he and the members of the Sangguniang Panglunsod coalesced with the administration Lakas-CMD.

Celino also reportedly took his oath as provincial chairman of Kampi, President Arroyo’s own political party. He said this was done before Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn "Joyce" Baolante and presidential brother-in-law Rep. Ignacio Arroyo (fifth district, Negros Occidental).

Losanta said Mayor Del Rosario issued his memorandum order last Aug. 31, designating him as officer-in-charge, before he left for Manila for treatment at the Makati Medical Center.

Celino, however, said he assumed as acting mayor only after he had consulted with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). It was ruled that he could automatically assume as acting mayor.

Losanta, when summoned by Celino, showed the latter his written designation and said he would relinquish the position as soon as Mayor Del Rosario returns home after treatment for his diabetes. The mayor reportedly collapsed last Aug. 31 and was airlifted to Manila after he was confined at the ICU of the Capiz Emmanuel Hospital. The day before, the mayor signed the order designating Losanta as OIC, stating that he was going on official travel.

Celino anchored his claim as acting mayor on the Local Government Code’s paragraph A, Section 46, which states that when a mayor is temporarily incapacitated to perform his duties for physical or legal reasons, the vice mayor shall automatically exercise the powers and functions of the local executive.

Local DILG official Clyne Deocampo further complicated the dilemma of local officials when he issued an opinion that Vice Mayor Celino has full authority on executive functions.

Antique’s postponed peace dialogue

The Roxas City standoff also brought to the fore the aborted reconciliatory dialogue between Antique Gov. Sally Zaldivar Perez and Rep. Exequiel Javier.

Javier reportedly failed to keep up with the Sept. 3 talks because of an emergency meeting in the House, reported Vice Gov. Rhodora Cadiao.

But the vice governor said the dialogue will still be held because both Perez and Javier are willing to set another date for it.

Cadiao is a Javier ally. Local officials, particularly Bolison Mayor Christopher Picolo and Liberta Mayor Mary Jane Te, had agitated for the reconciliation talks for the interest of Antiqueños.

Well, the only thing to hope for is that the two political leaders bury the hatchet and vow to work for Antique’s progress and development. The intramurals among Antique’s warring politicos have been blamed for the slow pace of economic progress of the mountainous province.

An early Christmas

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas was all smiles early this week when he ordered city treasurer Katherine Tingson to collect from the Philippine Ports Authority P40 million in accumulated real property and business taxes dating back to 1988.

"This is a legal victory for the people of Iloilo. We are bent on collecting their dues now that we have secured the writ of execution," Trenas chortled upon receipt of the RTC writ ordering the PPA to pay the city government the accumulated realty and business taxes.

The legal issue between the PPA and the city government dates back to the term of former Iloilo City Mayor Rodolfo Ganzon who filed a tax collection case against the PPA which, in turn, claimed it was exempted from paying the taxes.

On July 14 last year, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city. The PPA, however, asked the tribunal to reconsider. Last Oct. 2, the High Court ruled with finality on the issue.

The city government then filed a motion for the issuance of a writ of execution which Judge Cedrick Ruiz of RTC Branch 39 granted.

The amount eases to a certain extent Treñas’ jitters on the impact of the proposed shaving of the Internal Revenue Allotments (IRAs) of local government units. The League of Cities, which Treñas heads as president, is vigorously opposing the proposal by a Bicolano lawmaker.

The League of Provinces, the Metro Manila Mayors’ League and the League of Mayors have protested the IRA cut, citing the need to sustain the development of the countryside.

Rabies alarms Treñas

Rabies is preventable. Death from rabies is accompanied by excruciating hypersensitivity to external stimuli, not just water.

That was the situation last week that spurred Treñas to establish the Iloilo City Rabies Control Committee with himself as chairman and councilor Erwin Plagata as vice chairman.

The record is alarming. The health department reported that eight children had died of rabies infection. That’s too much.

Treñas pointed out that "rabies has already reached an alarming proportion and that remedial measures (must) be applied immediately to address the situation."

This means the committee will supervise and oversee the city’s rabies control program which includes registration of pets, anti-rabies immunization, neutering of canines, and keeping pets out of the streets.

As of Aug. 13, according to the City Health Office, 542 dog bite victims had sought treatment. Forty-seven of them were found positive for rabies, topping the previous year’s total of 26 cases.

The other members of the anti-rabies committee are city veterinarian Tomas Forteza Jr,. health officer Urkinicio Baronda Jr., police chief Policarpio Segubre, city schools superintendent Ida Endonila, Liga ng mga Barangay president Marietta Orleans, city prosecutor Efrain Baldago and representatives of the DILG and accredited non-government organizations.

Tourism thrust

The Tourism Educators of Schools, Colleges and Universities (TESCU) Panay chapter will host the 4th TESCU convention at the Sarabia Manor Hotel in Iloilo City on Sept. 12 to 14.

This is a major call to raise Philippine tourism standards toward a stronger academe-industry partnership.

The TESCU Panay chapter members include St. Therese MTC Colleges Inc., Central Philippine University, Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Iloilo State College of Fisheries, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation Inc., Professional Electronics Institute, St. Anne College, St. Paul University, University of San Agustin, West Visayas State University and the Western Visayas College of Science and Technology.

Which reminds me, STAR correspondent Antonieta Lopez is one of the two delegates from the Philippines who will attend the international conference of the Media Advocacy for Reproductive Health in South Africa. She left yesterday afternoon.