Panlilio faces hostile board on budget today

SAN FERNANDO, Pam­panga – Gov. Eddie Panlilio is slated to defend today before an apparently hostile Sanggu­niang Panlalawigan his proposed P1-billion budget for 2008 after the board threatened to approve only a one-peso budget for next year.

This, after the provincial board members rejected twice the appearance of provincial administrator Vivian Dabu to seek the approval of the proposed budget.

“If necessary, we will give the provincial government a budget of only one peso next year,” said provincial board member Chris Garbo.

Dabu attempted twice to defend the budget, but Garbo told her that the board did not recognize her as the provincial administrator.

Panlilio and the board have been at odds over the appointments of Dabu and provincial attorney Aiza Velez.

The priest-turned-governor insisted that the appointments of the two became effective after the board allegedly failed to act on them. But the board members said Panlilio had bypassed them.

Panlilio has informed the board that he will personally defend the proposed P1-billion provincial budget, expressing hope that the board would eventually approve it for the sake of the people of Pampanga.

Meanwhile, Garbo said he is set to file today a resolution questioning the legitimacy of the Most Outstanding Kapam­pangan Awards (MOKA) handed out last Dec. 11 in commemoration of the 436th founding anniversary of Pampanga.

Garbo said the people who handled the event violated Provincial Resolution No. 56 providing strict procedures in the search for MOKA awardees.