Alayon urges JVR not to play politics

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City council, dominated by the Alayon party, has expressed hopes that Mayor Johnny De los Reyes’s move in slashing job order quotas for city councilors Eduardo “Digul” Gullas III and Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Raul Cabanero will not sow divisiveness and discord between the administration and the Alayon. 

De los Reyes issued a memorandum last Friday that he will only allocate five job order employees for Gullas and Cabañero.

The mayor earlier promised 11 councilors that he will allocate 50. 

City Councilor and Majority Floor Leader Richard Francis Aznar said the mayor’s move only shows that he was not sincere in his call to the Alayon group to set aside politics and cooperate with his administration. 

“Ang iyang gihisgot namo nga iyang iparehas ang tanan regardless of any political party. Pagsugod sa iyang term magsige siya og ingon nga he will set aside politics. Asa naman ni karon?” Aznar told The Freeman.

Aznar said the Alayon group will definitely confront the mayor regarding the matter.   

Aznar said the mayor son, city administrator John Yre de los Reyes, cannot claim that there is no politics in the slashing number of job orders for two councilors. 

The 2014 annual budget, which the Alayon supported the mayor’s proposal, was approved and included in the P629 million of the honorarium for 50 job order employees for each councilor.

But the quota was reduced to 20. 

“If there is no politics in the slashing of the job order quotas, nganong lima ilaha unya 20 amoa? Unsa ang iyang ihatag sa uban iyang parehason ang tanan,” Aznar said. 

However, the mayor’s administration allies have distanced themselves from the issue. 

City Councilor Danilo Caballero said the mayor’s move was his prerogative and all powers and functions depend on him. 

“Whatever comes to his mind, it is his prerogative,” Cabañero said. 

Cebu First District Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas criticized De los Reyes for allegedly playing politics.

The Alayon party is headed by former congressman Eduardo “Eddiegul” Gullas. (FREEMAN)