SB-1 special session may not happen

CEBU, Philippines – Since most of the Cebu City legislators are now enjoying their Christmas vacation in various parts of the country, the scheduled special session of the City Council tomorrow, purposely to discuss the proposed P2.8 billion Supplemental Budget No. 1, may not be realized due to a lack of quorum.

Councilor Sisinio Andales, head of the council’s committee on laws, for one, said he cannot assure to attend the special session as he is currently vacationing in Bohol.

He further said that everytime the executive department insists to have the SB-1 passed, he “smells something fishy.”

“Naa ba’y lingin nga katarongan? Five times na namo ni nga gi-reject. Unless there is entry of finality of judgement dili pa g’yud maayo nga gastohon ang halin sa SRP lots kay dili rason nga kay wala moisyu og Temporary Restraining Order ang court ug gi-dismiss ang kaso, i-pass na lang, kay naa ma’y motion for reconsideration,” he said.

But Acting Vice Mayor Nestor Archival said he has already informed the city councilors that there will be a special session tomorrow morning as requested by Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella, who asked the city legislators to deliberate and to pass the proposed P2.8 billion supplemental budget.

Before he was preventively suspended for two months, Mayor Michael Rama has recommended that P2.4 billion of the 2015 SB-1 will be used to pay the remaining balance of the city’s existing loan from Japan that was acquired way back in 1994 related to the South Reclamation Project, now South Road Properties.

However, Andales said attending the special session is useless because the stand of the majority of the councilors not to pass SB-1 is firm if the sources of funds will be taken from the sales of SRP lots.

But Archival said the council may reconsider its stand if there is a new argument about the issue, such as if the sources of funds for SB-1 will no longer be charged against the sales of SRP lots.

While Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Alexander Acosta has already ruled that spending the initial sales of the 45 hectares of SRP lots is not illegal, the city councilors who are affiliated with the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) said the decision is not yet final.

Lawyer Romulo Torres had filed an appeal before the appellate court questioning the ruling of the trial court. It was Torres who filed a Petition for Declaratory Relief in court because he strongly believed that the sale of the SRP lots was illegal considering that it was conducted through public bidding and not through unsolicited proposal as provided for by the existing city ordinance.

Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, head of the committee on budget and finance, said she cannot attend the special session as she is still in Manila, where she will stay until the first week of next month.

Councilor Eugenio Gabuya said he will not attend, while Councilor Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao said, “Mo-attend ko pero ma-late lang.”

Councilors Nendell Hanz Abella and Philip Zafra, both allies of Team Rama, have assured their presence during the special session. The FREEMAN failed to reach the other councilors. — (FREEMAN)