CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City councilors, during their regular session yesterday, approved the verbal motion filed by third-term Councilor Arturo Bas declaring all committee chairmanships and memberships in the council, including the position of the majority leader, vacant.
Bas’ point for his move was to give councilors who are running for reelection on May 10 time “to continue with their campaign activities.”
It was the third time in a row that the council had no proper session, the first time it happened was on May 2, when Vice Mayor Alan Bucao had ordered not to hold a session saying that would be in excess of one Tuesday for this month. Under the rules, the council can hold sessions four times per month. And last week, majority of the councilors boycotted the session reportedly because of Councilor Shirley Belleza’s two proposed measures.
Bas said, in an interview shortly after the session-which was adjourned less than 30 minutes after it started, that he noticed that the “political pot (in Talisay) is very hot and boiling.”
Bas did not however elaborate what made the political scenario in Talisay as such, but said that the move was to “free” his fellow councilors the burden of having to keep their job as committee chairmen while doing their daily campaigning everyday.
Contrary to insinuations, Bas clarified that it was not to single out Belleza, who they -- the administration candidates -- reportedly believe is siding with the opposition camp, especially that her husband, former Vice Mayor Aberdovey Belleza, who is running for vice mayor, is with the group.
All 11 members of the council, except for Belleza and Ben Abatayo who was on leave, voted to relinquish their committees, whether they were chairmen or plain members only.
When Belleza asked, while on session, for their reasons, Councilor Bernard Odilao, who chaired the Environment committee among others, for his part, said he would attend a family reunion soon and that he could not attend to his committee duties. And like what Bas had earlier said, Odilao also said he wants to concentrate on his campaigning, too.
His fellow members who are also seeking reelection, Councilors Edward Alesna, Rodi Cabigas, Dennis Basillote, Ronnie Capala, and Serrie Restauro, agreed with him. All of them are with the administration party, Alayon-Nacionalist Party.
Association of Barangay Councils President Osmundo Manreal Jr., who is also Alayon-NP’s bet for councilor, and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President April Marie Cabigas were not opposed to the idea.
The council was supposed to tackle a number of proposed resolutions and ordinances including Belleza’s measures for the Barangay Health Workers’ and the women’s benefits, reportedly the reasons why last week’s session was suspended following the lack of quorum, as calendared in the order of business, but Alesna was quick to move for the adjournment of the session, which was seconded by Basillote.
Belleza, who had just lost her position being the majority leader, was quick to describe the manner her fellow councilors appeared in the less than 30-minute session a “scripted one,” and the move to strip her of her committees as “highly political.”
The third-term Belleza said that she is not running for any post this May, but it seems that her apparent support for her husband’s candidacy, this despite her still being in the administration, has finally gotten the nerve of the majority.
Apart from being the majority leader, Belleza also held the committees on Women, Family and Children; Health; and Tourism, Heritage and International Affairs.
Belleza, who is third councilor in last 2007 election, said she has earlier avowed to support the administration’s candidates except for Vice Mayor Alan Bucao, who Mayor Socrates Fernandez’ running mate, who is her husband’s biggest contender, but with what had just happened she “may change” her direction.
“Why are they threatened” she asked, adding that she had foreseen it, but did not expect that her fellow councilors would actually do it despite her contribution to all her three committees.
The lady councilor had called on for all the women and BHWs, who were there at the session hall to supposedly support her proposals, to remember the day that their councilors had failed them.
There are more than 3,000 members of the city’s women’s organizations and 400 BHWs.
“I am for Congressman Gullas and Mayor Soc, and they all know that but with what had happened, I may make up my decision,” the lady councilor said. (FREEMAN NEWS)