CITYHOOD CASE: Toledo mayor: I'm just doing my job

CEBU, Philippines - Toledo City Mayor Arlene Zambo has appealed for understanding from the mayors of Bogo, Naga and Carcar after the Supreme Court had decided for the reversion in the status of the three new cities. 

Zambo, secretary for the Visayas of the League of Cities in the Philippines, is one of the petitioners who questioned the cityhood status of Bogo, Naga and Carcar, and the 13 other newly created cities in the country, before the high court.

She pleaded to her fellow mayors “not to make the issue personal against her,” saying that she has an obligation to the league being one of the officials.

“I hope dili nila i-personal nako. I am only performing my duty as secretary for the Visayas,” Zambo said in a dyLA interview.

According to Zambo, she is happy that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of them and gave what they have been fighting for. However, she also felt sad because the mayors of these 16 newly created cities especially the three in Cebu are her friends.

Zambo gave her unsolicited advice to the mayors of these places to reapply and follow the correct procedures rather than fighting it out with the Supreme Court by filing another motion for reconsideration.

The Supreme Court, voting 6-5, recently denied the first motion for reconsideration filed by the 16 newly created cities on an earlier high court decision that stripped them of their city status for not having complied with the P100-million annual income requirement.

The high tribunal sustained the league’s contention that the P100-million income requirement should apply for these newly created cities instead of the P20 million that they are banking on.

The 16 newly created cities contended that they are exempted from the P100-million income requirement because their application for cityhood has been pending before the amendment of the requirement has taken effect. — Fred P. Languido/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)