Caloocan councilors shut door on Malonzo son

The majority of Caloocan City councilors, partymates of former city mayor Reynaldo Malonzo, who were to meet in a special session yesterday virtually slammed the door shut on his son, who was attending his first session after being sworn into office last Friday as "replacement" for the Councilor Eduardo "Popoy" Rosca who died last month.

In a silent, but forceful show of displeasure over what they claimed as Malonzo’s riding roughshod on their right to be consulted over the succession issue, his partymates in the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrat party, the majority in the city council, yesterday boycotted the session forcing it to adjourn for a lack of quorum.

Only Councilors Gualberto Bacolod, acting presiding officer in lieu of Vice Mayor Luis "Tito" Varela, who was on leave, and Henry Cammayo, majority floor leader, both partymates of the former mayor, were present at the session hall.

The Malonzo party stayed for no more than 20 minutes at the session hall and left in a huff after the snub, promising to regroup and come back with a vengeance.

A brief scuffle between supporters of Malonzo and Mayor Enrico Echiverri erupted as the Malonzo emerge form the session hall. Two Malonzo supporters were hurt.

The repudiation was made even more painful for the Malonzos with the unwitting participation of even Malonzo’s supposed staunchest allies in the city council, among them Cammayo, Bacolod and Dennis Baldivia, known as "Dennis Padilla" in showbiz circles, who was among the last to be won over to his side by Echiverri.

Christopher Malonzo, 24, economics graduate of the University of Sto. Tomas, came to the session hall at around 2:30 p.m. accompanied by his mother Gwendoloyn, losing mayoral candidate in the last election, and former city administrator Mamerto Manahan.

The former mayor’s wife said her actor-husband was shooting a film in an undisclosed place and could not make it.

The entourage, which came in a six-car convoy, arrived just in time for the singing of the national anthem. But shortly after the Panunumpa sa Watawat, Bacolod declared adjourned for lack of quorum.

Manahan ranted at the Echiverri supporters who earlier had filled the gallery allowing no room for the Malonzos to occupy a single seat.

"Ako na dating konsehal, the longest serving city administrator (for nine years), ayaw kaming papasukin ng mga mamamayan sa bulwagan. Di sila ang may-ari nito. Kung di nila alam, si Mayor Malonzo ang nagpagawa nito," Manahan complained.

He added that what the councilors did were an affront and a suppression of a lawful order from the president of the Republic of the Philippines herself.

Cammayo, for his part, said the sentiment of his colleagues was clear.

"We refuse to accept the young Malonzo as a member of the city council," the councilor said.

He also clarified that they are neither against the wishes of Malacañang nor of President Arroyo, but against the "sneaky way" the former mayor allegedly manipulated the process leading to the appointment of his son as Rosca’s replacement.

Cammayo said the older Malonzo railroaded the process, sending three letters to the party leadership and the President by passing them in the process and pushing for the appointment of his son.

Christopher was sworn in by a local judge last Friday as councilor on the basis of a Malacañang order signed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita on the authority of the President.

It will be recalled that the Sangguniang Panlungsod has recommended Kristen Joy Rosca, a daughter of the late councilor, as a replacement for her father. Cammayo, speaking in behalf of his partymates at the city council also blasted Malonzo’s alleged "inordinate haste" in setting up his son to occupy the vacated council seat.

The councilor, including Bacolod, Rose Mercado, Alex Aruelo, Ernesto Cunanan, Dante Prado and Divine Margallo all partymates have agreed to exhaust all remedies and work for the recall of the young Malonzo’s appointment.

The young Malonzo shrugged off the hostile reception by city hall employees, saying he was even challenged by their reaction.

"Their action even inspired me to pursue my calling to join the city council to institute changes at city hall," he said.

Malonzo said he would continue reporting to city hall despite the rejection by majority of councilors.

"I am here to serve the residents of Caloocan and not my fellow councilors," he said. – With Pete Laude