Governor won't shut up vs Sitoy's "silly" legislation

CEBU, Philippines – Governor Gwendolyn Garcia vows to continue commenting on what she described as "silly" legislative measures of Provincial Board Member Arleigh Sitoy despite her being accused of already encroaching legislative functions.

"And if nobody speaks out against this, then the public might think that we are all in agreement with this silliness and out of the worldliness," Garcia told reporters after Sitoy delivered his privilege speech naming his "encroachment" as "sillier" than his proposed measures.

Sitoy, in his speech, lamented and defended his "unusual" legislative proposals - separate restrooms for the third sex, nutrition labels for chicharon and his proposed ordinance on sexual stimulant prerequisites.

Garcia reminded Sitoy that she was not the only one who tagged his proposals as silly. According to Garcia, the papers even called it crazy and class legislation.

The Governor pointed out that to put warning on chicharon pack as dangerous to the health is different from stating the nutritive facts.

"Now he's even confused about his own ordinance, wa niya basaha ang gi-file sa iyang staff," Garcia said.

Garcia strongly believes that the measure will not pass. Supposing it is passed, this will not also cover the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu being highly urbanize.

Chicharon sold in these cities cannot be covered by the ordinance including chicharon coming from other provinces since they don't know it.

If one like Sitoy can eat, it cannot be traced which chicharon caused risk to their health.

"Where is the logic there? And if it is illogical, it isn't that silly? Somebody even had called it crazy, maayo gani wa ko niingon crazy but it's silly. And if you call it out of the box, its only out a box if there is a box. . . but there is no box, it is called out of this world," Garcia said.

Sitoy said in his speech that he did not totally blame the governor as his ideas are culled outside of the box when the truth of the matter is that, all these are still proposed measures, which are subject to the rigors of deliberation.

"I see no reason why I may not comment on a propose legislation, in the case of chicharon, affects thousands of thousand of lives that depend on an industry crucial to so many in one of our towns which is Carcar," she added.

Garcia also clarified that she is not preempting the proposed measures because that was already published even before it was filed.

"I based my reactions on your reports. What gives him the luxury of being able to get full media mileage on a piece of legislation that he has not even filed before the provincial board and now he sanctimoniously wants to prohibit the governor from commenting on a published media report on a piece of legislation that he has not even filed saying that I am preempting the board. Kinsa may nag-preempt ani," Garcia said.

Garcia said that she will continue to comment for as long as Sitoy continues to file "silly out of the world pieces, attempts of legislation and obvious publicity stunts."

"This spate of silly attempts of legislation casts the board unfairly in a ridiculous and embarrassing life," she added. (FREEMAN)