By Mortz C. Ortigoza
BINALONAN – Most of the members of the Sangguniang Bayan
(legislative council) here are geared to suspend Councillor Ryan Gotoc because
of his absenteeism.
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ABSENTEEISM. Members of the Binalonan Sangguniang Bayan
(legislative council) met for a special session last July 31 to inquire to a colleague Councillor Ryan Gotoc (reading a paper) on his absenteeism on the sessions that affronted many members of the August Chamber. |
According to Council Member Josie Caburnay out of the 23 legislative sessions this year
Gotoc attended only 11 regular and special sessions.
What broke the proverbial back of the camel according to the
councillors was when Gotoc committed four successive absences that ran smack to
the Local Government Code (LGC) and the Internal Rules of Procedure (IRP) of
the council.
The LGC and the IRP provide for the discipline of members
for disorderly behaviour and absences without justifiable cause for four
consecutive sessions, for which they may be censured, reprimanded, or excluded
from the session, suspended for not more than sixty days, or expelled.
Provided, that the penalty of expulsion shall require the concurrence of at
least two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the sanggunian members.
Councillors Bonifacio Calip said that Gotoc could not just at
his vagary commits two absences and attend a session then commit the same
number of absences that become a vicious cycle.
“You should be ashamed to us who regularly attended the sessions,”
Calip told Gotoc in a special session here last Friday.
“It is unfair for us
who were sworn to the Internal Rules of Procedures while a colleague did not respect
the importance of the Rules, “argued by League of Barangays President and Ex-Oficio Council Member Jerry
Aradanas, who delivered a privilege speech in July 27 denouncing Gotoc, in the
special session last Friday.
Gotoc said that aside from his medical certifications that
he was sick twice thus his absences, he was too busy ferrying sick people here
by driving an ambulance to the Region-1 Medical Center in Dagupan City.
But Mayor Ramon “MonMon”Guico III, who was invited by Vice
Mayor Melicio Patague II and the council, would not buy the alibi of Gotoc, his first cousin, and instead lectured him.
He said his hectic schedules were not a justification that he would
not attend his function as legislator whose function is to attend the session
every Monday of the week.
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EXECUTIVE.
Department heads and employees ordered by Mayor Ramon
“Mon Mon” Guico III to
attend the special session of the Sangguniang Bayan.
He reminded them that they
are paid by the government and should
reciprocate it with their loyalty
to their duty by not skipping their work just
like what happened to the member
of the legislative council that was
investigated by his colleagues.
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“True, marami tayong mga pasyente diyan, but first and
foremost you are here to legislate as member of the Sangguniang Bayan, you are
paid to legislate for the town, you are not paid by the patients, you are not
paid to coordinate with the regional hospital”.
The mayor cited his being busy too but he saw to it that he
complied with his functions and not just seat eight hours a day in his office
thumb twiddling.
“I am here to set the
direction of the town and set more connection and bring more investors. You cannot
do those eight hours a day in your office. My recent accomplishment of 20,000
Euro (almost one million Philippine Peso a year - MCO) in our five years partnership with Belgium. Magagawa ko ba
iyan kung nakikipag-inuman ako eight hours a day?” he posed.
He upbraided Gotoc on his patent skipping of the sessions by
citing many occasions on the official photo taking during the fiesta
celebration of the members of the August Chamber and the mayor.
‘As a local executive pinapakita natin na magkaka-isa tayo pero even
during the fiesta one of the councillors will not seat in the presidential
table. There is a very thin line in serving the public and politicking. Sana
naman sa ganoong panahon na official function
ipakita natin na buo tayong council beyond political colours. May isa
ang nawawala nag didistribute ng alak during fiesta. Ano namumulitika na? You
should know what public service is, you should know the job description of the
Sangguniang Bayan”.
The mayor said he was not only speaking in the absenteeism
of the member of the council but also the same offenses of the members of the
executive department where he summoned its heads and employees to witness the
last Friday’s session.
“But I think this has
created the awareness for everybody to really check what is loyalty to his duty
and responsibility kasi kung minsan papasok diyan iyong mga ta-o, papatawag mo
umuwi na! Dapat ang time-in and time-out doon maski lunch time ila-log ninyo
kung hindi niyo na kaya mag retire na lang tayo! Mag na resign na lang tayo!”
the mayor said.
He said workers at the executive department could not
accused politicians of corruption because they themselves are guilty of it
because of their absenteeism.
A source, who asked anonymity, confided to this paper that
on August 3 session, the SB would decide if they have to suspend Gotoc.
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