CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and the 13 other elected officials facing administrative charges before the Office of the president for granting P20,000 calamity assistance to city hall officials and employees will submit their answer to the complaint today.
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who is one of the respondents, said he will personally fly to Manila to submit their verified answer to Malacañang.
As of yesterday morning, only Councilor Roberto “Bob” Cabarrubias is yet to sign the affidavit because he was still in Mindanao.
In a press conference yesterday, Labella said part of their arguments to support the legality of the granting of the assistance is the Department of Budget and Management’s certification of the passage of the budget.
The vice mayor also argued that President Benigno Simeon Aquino III had declared the entire country under a state of calamity after super typhoon Yolanda.
He said the City Council also made its own declaration placing the city under state of calamity.
Lawyer Reymelio Delute, a supporter of the Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan, filed a complaint for grave misconduct and abuse of authority against the respondents. Delute claimed that those who received the calamity aid from the city were not really victims of calamity.
But Labella, also a lawyer by profession, argued that after President Aquino placed the country under state of calamity, city hall employees are already entitled to receive calamity aid from the city government.
He recalled that when typhoon Ondoy hit Manila and nearby places in Luzon few years ago, the Congress gave financial assistance to all of its employees even if not all of them are residing in Metro Manila.
“Daghan man sa mga nagtrabaho sa Congress nga dia ang mga balay sa probinsya apan gihatagan sila og cash assistance bisan wala sila mabiktima sa bagyo’ng Ondoy ug ang kagamhanan wala moisip nga ilegal ang paghatag kanila sa mao nga hinabang,” Labella added.
Councilors Alvin Dizon and Cabarrubias had already returned their calamity assistance last week, while Councilors Eugenio Gabuya and Nestor Archival are also planning to return their shares this week.
Facing charges are Councilors Sisinio Andales, Nida Cabrera, Noel Wenceslao, Gerardo Carillo, Nestor Archival, Alvin Arcilla, Eugenio Gabuya, Roberto Cabarrubias, Alvin Dizon, all BOPK allies. Others are Nendell Hanz Abella, Mary Ann delos Santos, Dave Tumulak of Team Rama. (FREEMAN)