JVR, council ready to sue each other

CEBU, Philippines - More tension is expected at Talisay City Hall if Mayor Johnny De los Reyes makes true his threat to file charges of abuse of authority and economic sabotage against the majority bloc of the City Council.

This is still in connection with the cutting of the 2015 annual budget.

But the council is also ready to file counter charges against the mayor, in case.

"Sige siya'g sulti nga mokiha namo tungod kay gikuhaan namo ang budget, iyaha man hinuong nang katungod pero kung iya nang himuon, mo-forewarn sab mi niya nga andam sab mi sa pagkiha niya. Dili maayo nga iyang unhan kay that might be opening up 'Pandora's box'," Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante said.

Villarante, a former ally of De los Reyes in the last 2013 elections and a lawyer, along with some council members, were at the Capitol on Wednesday to explain to Governor Hilario Davide III why they slashed the budget.

In total, De los Reyes submitted a P1.081 billion budget for 2015 yet only P539.941 million of it was approved by the council. The original proposal included P350 million allocation for the establishment of new Tabunok Public Market which was also consequently scrapped by the council.

Villarante said the mayor should also be watching his statements as there are "lots" of cases that will be filed against him, which they are now compiling and studying.

"Sa pagkakaron, wa pa sa lang mi moabot ana. Wala gani mi naghunahuna sa pagkiha niya pero sige man siya og sulti nga iya daw mi ikiha. Daghan pud baya kaayong kiha nga among ihatag niya," Villarante said.

Villarante said the mayor should not treat the council as a rubberstamp, stressing that the Sangguniang Panlungsod is a co-equal branch of government and not under the mayor.

Asked on what are the possible complaints to be filed against De los Reyes, Villarante noticed several realignments in the 2014 budget, which means one item is over-budgeted while the other is under-budgeted.

Among those that were affected were the allocation from the legislative department, which were used as payment and honorarium for job orders, and the mayor's intelligence fund that was used as financial assistance for the constituents who will approach him and seek for his help.

"Ang intelligence fund nga iyang gi-admit before the media nga gipanghatag sa mga tawo. Intelligence fund should be used for peace and order ug dili ipanghatag sa mga tawo," Villarante said.

Villarante said the mayor, being the father of the city, should make the first move to talk with the council but this was never realized since last year.

In a press conference yesterday, De los Reyes said he is "not a bit surprised" that the SP overrode his veto of the 2015 annual budget, admitting that he saw the move coming because of the number of the opposition members in the council.

De los Reyes said the reduction of the budget will leave his administration with no choice but to cut down the delivery of basic services.

The mayor, a neophyte local chief executive, did not hide his disappointment in the presence of some of his supporters and department heads during the press conference.

"I have to accept the approve budget given to me by the council. Kutob sa akong mahimo, ako ning i-budget bisan gamay ra ang ilang gi-approve," he said.

As a comment, Villarante, for his part, said it is about time for the chief executive "to move on." 

"Let us move on as the 2015 appropriation budget is deemed approved," he said, stressing that Talisay can make do with a P539.941 million since the budget for basic services was not slashed at all.

Councilor Edward Alesna, chairman of the Committee on Budget and Finance, denied that the council's majority bloc was out to undermine City Hall's programs.

Alesna claimed the passage of the budget was beyond partisan politics, citing that two of the Liberal Party-allied councilors even voted for the slashing of the budget.  (FREEMAN)