City Council, Prov'l Board cancel sessions

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  — In a rather peculiar turn of events, both the Bacolod City Council and the Negros Occidental Provincial Board failed to hold their respective regular sessions on Wednesday for lack of quorum, which were reportedly caused by political maneuverings.

For the first time in the history of the current administration, the City Council called off its regular session after only five of 14 councilors were present.

Present were Councilors Catalino Alisbo, Archie Baribar, El Cid Familiaran, Elmer Sy, and Sonya Verdeflor—all members of the minority block—while those absent were Councilors Em Ang, Ceasar Distrito, Dindo Ramos, SK Federation president Kevin Ramos (who were all on official leave), and Carlos Jose Lopez, Homer Bais and ABC president Mona Dia Jardin (who were all on official travel).

Council records however stated no reason for the absence of Councilors Al Victor Espino and Roberto Rojas.

The lack of quorum was allegedly a way of the councilors, members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)-Grupo Progreso (GP) of “boycotting” Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, in protest of the choice of former Councilor Greg Gasataya as the official vice mayoralty candidate of NPC-GP in the 2013 elections.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson announced Tuesday that NPC president Frisco San Juan signed the party’s endorsement of Gasataya for vice mayor. Leonardia is running for congressman while Sayson is running for mayor under NPC next year.

In the provincial government, the PB also failed to hold its Wednesday regular session for lack of quorum, the third time in just three months.

Only seven of the 15 PB members were present: Rene Gustilo, Pedro Zayco, Manuel Frederick Ko, Patrick Leonard Lacson, Jose Benito Alonzo, PCL president Raul Rivera Aside and SK Federation president Thea Mae Dino.

PB Member Melvin Ibañez was absent, while George Gitano, Helen Zafra, Salvador Escalante, Emilio Yulo III, Miller Serondo, Mae Javellana and Nehemias de la Cruz Sr. were noted to be on “official business.”

There were also rumors that some PB members were disgruntled with Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., who is seeking reelection, against Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. who announced his bid for the governorship next year.

The inevitable clash between the two top officials was seen as the cause of the lack of quorums in three postponed PB sessions, sources said.

Because of this, the P180-million loan requested for approval by Marañon for the construction of phase two of the Negros First Cyber Center and six additional classrooms for the Negros Occidental High School in Bacolod City, was again not acted upon by the PB. (FREEMAN)