Fate of Talisay Council committee chairman known next week

CEBU, Philippines - Whether or not Talisay City Councilor Doroteo Emit will still continue to hold chairmanship of the Council Committee on Urban Poor, it will be known next week.

Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao, the council presiding officer, said the two-month validation and investigation on the petition filed against Emit by the Federation of Talisay City Urban Dwellers Association (Fetcuda) members will have been done in a week’s time.

“Dili lang usa nako i-disclose pero possible next week during the regular session, mahatag na namo ang desisyon,” Bucao told reporters after yesterday’s regular council session.

To recall, some Fetcuda members approached Bucao’s office in February to air their sentiments against Emit, especially when he “disrespected the essence of a general assembly.”

Emit authored a resolution seeking to conduct investigation Presidential Commission of Urban Poor (PCUP) Talisay area coordinator Llura Layon for allegedly misusing the federation’s funds. Layon was eventually ousted.

But the federation members claimed due process was not observed because they were not given a chance to air their side.

From Bucao’s office, Fetcuda’s petition was then referred to the Council Committee on Laws and Ethics chaired by Councilor Gail Restauro.

Restauro led the investigation, which involved validating the signatures reflected in the complaint.

On April 18, Restauro referred the results of his investigation to the committee as a whole as he maintained that the body should take part in the decision making.

Now that the decision is about to be handed down, Bucao said he would seek advice from Mayor Eduardo Gullas considering that Emit was part of the Alayon party of Gullas during the last elections.

But in a separate interview, Gullas said he doesn’t want to interfere with the council’s decision.

“Dili ko manghilabot nila, pasagdaan lang nako sila,” he said.

Gullas, however, reminded that the councilors not to make a decision whenever they are mad or angry as “it won’t do any good.”

Emit earlier said he was willing to accept the council’s decision but hopes that the council would focus on the merits of the case and not be influenced by political issues in coming up with a decision. (FREEMAN)