For frequent absences: 5 Alegria councilors face administrative charges

CEBU, Philippines- Five Alegria town councilors have been charged administratively before the Cebu Provincial Board for alleged dereliction of duty, misconduct in office, gross negligence, disloyalty to the state and abuse of authority.

Councilors Emelita Guisadio, Maria Letecia Donayre, Nemia Alocillo, Alejandro Villaneza and Diosdado Lerio were accused of deliberate absences in their sessions resulting in a lack of quorum.

Vice Mayor Marcial Rodriguez Jr. and four other council members – Emelio Cabanero, Arnold Cuevas, Russel Carreon and Joseph Redula – filed the complaint before the provincial board.

 “We are constrained to file the instant cases against the respondents because of their alarming, concerted, frequent, consistent, and deliberate absences from the regular and special sessions…thus leading to the effective paralysis of the legislative functions of the legislative body due to the lack of quorum,” read the five-page complaint.

The PB during its regular session yesterday afternoon referred the complaint before its committee on complaints and investigation.

According to the complainants, the respondents were absent as a group on December 16, 2013 regular session, five times last year, and on June 8.

From 2013 up to July 10 this year, the respondents, except for Lerio who was present in four sessions and Villaneza in one occasion, also missed 12 special sessions.

On seven sessions that the respondents were present, they either called for a recess and never came back or walked out from the session hall.

The complainants said that because of the absences of the majority of the members, “several resolutions and actions” of the council have “effectively been delayed or have not been acted upon.”

They enumerated at least 20 measures including the town’s 2014 annual budget which the council failed to approve or tackle due to the lack of quorum.

“We humbly submit that the absences of the respondents or more appropriately their refusal to perform their duties as municipal councilors, are clearly deliberate and unlawful, and is obviously geared towards paralyzing the Sangguniang Bayan of Alegria, because the respondents are abusing the fact that they compose the majority, thus, their absence will surely lead to a lack of quorum to hold a session,” read the complaint.

The complainants also alleged that Donayre had been travelling abroad “without securing the permit” or authority to travel which is required of government officials.

Donayre had been out of the country in 2013 from October 14 to 30; and thrice last year, from January 8 to 18, April 8 to 11, and June 17 to 29.  (FREEMAN)