Rama laughs off blame for non-payment of CH security volunteers

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama merely laughed yesterday after a paid radio program of the Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK) blamed him of the city’s failure to pay the services of some 50 civilian security volunteers.

The former members of City Hall’s auxiliary security force who are also members of the Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) went to the radio station for an interview and claimed that each of them were paid for their services from March to August at P3,000 every month.

During the radio program, there were listeners who criticized Rama for his alleged lapses.

But when interviewed by reporters at City Hall, the mayor just laughed off the incident and said it was not his fault that the city failed to pay the services of the civilian security volunteers.

“Gibutangan bitaw nako na og budget para sa allowance sa mga BIN members gi-slash man sa City Council, unya ako diay na’ng sala? (I allotted a budget for the allowance of the BIN members but the City Council slashed it. Is that my fault?)” the mayor asked.

The City Council only approved P10,481,802 budget for security this year and it is only enough for the payment of the services of 72 private security guards.

General Service Office (GSO) head Rolando Ardoza explained that City Hall even slashed the number of their security guards from 76 to 72 because the contract price for the one year service of 72 private guards at P12,105 every month is P10,459,445.

In 2011, the city had been able to sustain the services of the civilian peace-keeping volunteers because the city’s budget for security was P20 million.

“Malooy ka tawon namo mayor, bayari na intawon mi sa among sweldo kay wala na kami makaon, (Please have take pity on us mayor and pay our salary because we don’t have anything to eat anymore.)” one of the BIN members said when interviewed during the BOPK-paid program.

During the previous administration, some 150 BIN members were hired to assist City Hall’s security personnel in securing its property but many of them were not renewed of their contracts effective January 1. (FREEMAN)