BOPK councilors bypass Labella

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella has already been stripped of his function as chairman of the committee on laws, ordinances, good government and public accountability by the members of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan even before a formal reorganization in the City Council.

During yesterday’s regular council session, all resolutions and other items that need to be referred to the committee on laws were specifically referred to Councilor Sisinio Andales, committee’s vice chairman, bypassing Labella.

The move to refer it to the committee on laws through the vice chairman mostly came from Councilor Augustus “Jun” Pe Jr.

It started when the council tackled various resolutions of Councilors Jose Daluz III and Eduardo Rama Jr. seeking authority from the council for Mayor Michael Rama to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the various barangays that are set to receive financial assistance from the city.

Labella said that when referring a matter to the committee on laws for opinion, it should be referred to the Chairman of the said committee.

Only when the proponent is the chairman of the committee, to which it will be referred to, is the time that the matter will be referred to the vice chairman. Labella said it is in accordance with the house rules.

 “But if two-thirds of the members of the council will not abide it, then it can be done,” Labella said.

 “If that’s the wish of the majority and since we are in the democratic society, it is always the majority that rules. What can I do? I have to abide,” he added.

He said that if this shall continue, the council must reorganize soon.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young told Labella that it should not be a problem since the council has done it in the past.

But Labella said that even in the past, they only refer to the vice chairman of any committee only when the proponent of the item to be referred is the chairman of the said committee.

Young said they have yet to reorganize because they are not in a hurry for it. Although he has already admitted that Andales will be taking over Labella’s chairmanship in the committee on laws while Pe will assume as the majority floor leader.

Meanwhile, the council ordered the removal of all streamers in the city, especially those streamers announcing an event that has passed.

The council said all streamers, even those put by the city government like the streamers containing the image of Don Vicente Rama, shall be removed.

The Don Vicente Rama streamers were put up last month during the celebration of the 75th Cebu City Charter Day Celebration.

The Office of the Building Official said that all streamers, unless with endorsement from the council, are banned in national roads and secondary roads based on a memorandum circular issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Councilor Rama made sure to include the removal of streamers with the photo of Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa endorsing his school.The council agreed that there shall be no exception. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/FPL (THE FREEMAN)