Labella's committee says Rama can't hire US citizen as consultant

CEBU, Philippines - The committee on laws, ordinances and public accountability of the Cebu City Council is not recommending the approval of Mayor Michael Rama’s consultant on systems and procedures because he is not a Filipino citizen.

The committee headed by Councilor Edgardo Labella said there are legal restrictions in hiring non-Filipino citizen as consultant. Rama hired Oliver Echivarre, a retired US Air Force, as his consultant on systems and procedures to supervise the city’s beautification project.

“With all due respect, this committee cannot recommend for the approval of the resolution authorizing the City Mayor to hire the services of Mr. Oliver Echivarre as consultant on systems and procedure of the Office of the Mayor,” Labella’s committee report reads.

Echivarre was recently awarded a six-month consultancy contract by the Bids and Awards Committee with a monthly salary of P18,000. With the position of the committee on laws, the executive and the legislative departments are inevitably heading towards a possible collision course.

The city legal office earlier rendered an opinion that it is the Mayor who has the authority to appoint consultants of the city.

According to Labella, they could not recommend the approval of the consultancy services of Echivarre because he already admitted being a US citizen holding a Balikbayan visa. Councilor Margot Osmeña earlier raised a possible legal impediment in hiring Echivarre as consultant because of his citizenship.

Osmeña’s concern prompted the City Council to defer action on the matter and instead referred it to the committee on laws to render an opinion.

Labella said that while Echivarre will not be considered as public officer because there will be no employer-employee relationship between him and the city government but he will be paid out of the government funds, which is subject of the limitations provided for under the Commonwealth Act no. 613, as amended otherwise known as the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. — (FREEMAN)