Samsam hits slashing of council personnel

CEBU, Philippines -  Is Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes waging a war of political vendetta against his opponents?

This was asked by Cebu First District Rep. Gerald Anthony "Samsam" Gullas after the mayor slashed the number of the job order employees allocated to two Alayon city councilors.

The Alayon Party is headed by former congressman Eduardo "Eddiegul" Gullas who lost to De los Reyes of the Liberal Party in the elections last May.

Last Friday afternoon, De los Reyes issued a memorandum that he will only be allocating five job order employees for City Councilors Eduardo "Digul" Gullas III and Association of Barangay Council president Raul Cabañero.

It was agreed during the special session last Friday that 11 councilors will be provided 50 job order employees and the 22 barangay captains will be allocated three each.

The personnel allocation of the council was in exchange for the approval of the P629 million submitted by De los Reyes for the 2014 annual budget, including the hiring of job orders.

Samsam criticized De los Reyes for allegedly playing politics and having a political vendetta against the Gullases.

"I think it's a personal vendetta on his part. He is punishing his former political opponents in the past elections. Lain man kaayo iyang pagdumala kay color coding man ug magdumot man siya," Samsam said.

"I don't understand why the mayor is doing that ug gi-kontrahan niya si Digul. Unsa man ang sala ni Digul?" he added.

Samsam also said the approved 2014 budget provided for 50 job order employees for 11 councilors.

"I honestly do not understand what he is doing or trying to prove," Samsam said.

Majority floor leader and Alayon leader Francis Richard Aznar also said they were surprised when Digul and Cabañero were given only five quotas for job order employees by next year.

"I think it is not fair to Digul and Raul. We will tackle this matter in the next session and I will bring this up before Vice Mayor Villarante. Dili mani mao ang gisabotan," Aznar said.

Aznar said De los Reyes was politicizing the proceedings as he is also surrounded by people who have their own personal agenda.

De los Reyes won over Eddiegul with a slim margin of votes, while Cabañero beat the mayor's son, Clifford de los Reyes, for barangay captain last October.

Sought for comment, Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante said he only learned about the slashing of personnel allocation when he received the mayor's memorandum.

Villarante promised that he will bring the matter before the council when it convenes after Christmas break.

Talisay City information officer Vince Monterde said the mayor did not cite his reasons as to why he slashed the job order allocation for Digul and Cabañero.

"I think it was his prerogative," Monterde said.  (FREEMAN)