Kamagayan councilman cries foul

CEBU, Philippines - A barangay councilman has complained before the Cebu City Council after he has not received his monthly honorarium from the city government for over a year now.

Barangay Kama-gayan Councilman Celestino Avila sought the help of the Cebu City Council to investigate what he claimed to be an “anomaly.”

In a letter addressed to Councilor Margarita Osmeña, Avila claimed that the barangay officials refused to give his monthly honorarium starting January 2014.

He said that he has not received what is due to him as a public servant amounting to P10, 110 for 13 months already.

“The only possible reason is that I did not support the incumbent mayor during the last election,” Avila said.

He said that there is no legal basis for the refusal of the barangay officials to pay his monthly honorarium.

Avila attached in his letter a certification issued by Barangay Captain Raquel Avila that he has not been given his P2,000 monthly honoraria from the city.

“As his honorarium has been withheld on recommendation of the Commission on Audit  for his belligerent refusal to turn over to this Office all Barangay properties, records, official receipts documents, and monetary transactions, until as of this date (October 2014),” the barangay captain stated in the certification.

The barangay captain also stated that the complainant has not been attending several regular sessions without prior notification.

Under the payroll of Cebu City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas, Celestino Avila is not on the list from October to December of 2014.

During the recent regular session, the Cebu City Council has scheduled an executive session on March 11 to look into the complaint.

The council has invited the Barangay Kamagayan officials, representatives from Association of Barangay Council and the concerned barangay councilman to clarify the matter.— FPL (FREEMAN)