Nagkademandahan Na sa Dagupan

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Members of the Minority Councilors of Dagupan City file today at the City Prosecutor's Office criminal charges of Illegal Detention, Oppression and Slander against some members of the majority. The complaint was based on the altercations between the two warring groups in the last Tuesday's session. The brouhahas ensued after the majority wanted not to have a vote on the minutes of those lawmakers that attended the session on September 26 in passing the controversial P1.3 billion budget when Councilor Red E. Mejia yelled at the lawmaking body's Secretary Ryan Ravanzo to close the door because the alleged bodyguards of Vice Mayor Dean Bryan L. Kua have been suspected to bring a gun inside the plenary hall of the sangguniang panlungsod.

Excerpts of Coun. Mejia remarks:

“Before we start Mr. Presiding Officer before we start before we continue I liked first to question the safety of our members: SINO MAY DALANG BARIL NGAYONG ARAW. PAKI LOCKED IYONG PINTUAN. SINO ANG MAY DALANG BARIL DITO!

“YOU LOCKED THE DOOR!”

“GUN BAN NGAYON, MR. CHAIR, GUN BAN!”

“WALANG LALABAS H WALALNG LALABAS TINGNAN NATIN KUNG SINO ANG MAY DALANG BARIL DITO”

Councilors Irene Lim-Acosta was seen on the video chiding the Vice Mayor on how wrong he presided the session.

Vice Mayor Kua (VMK): We have already five votes…

Coun. Irene Lim-Acosta (CILA): That is not correct Mr. Chair!

VMK: Who are not in favor of the deferment?

CILA: It is not okay for the deferment and everybody should vote. You’re wrong, Mr. Chair!

VMK:  We have five votes who are not favor of the deferment?

Councilor Alfie Fernandez (a lawyer): We overruled the ruling of the minority floor leader.

VMK: With five votes, who are in favor of the approval?

CILA: MASYADO NA IYONG PAMBABASTOS NINYO SA AMING MAJORITY. MASYADO KA NA! BASTOS KA!

As the majority called for adjournment and left the session hall Mejia and Acosta bad mouthed Kua.

"Bastos itong putang inang Vice Mayor na ito!" hissed by Acosta as her mother Coun. Celia Lim - the cool tempered among the group - pacified her.

***

May grudge ang majority Councilors sa minority dahil naisahan ng limang minority ang pitong kalaban matapos na mag leave of absence ang tatlo na miyembro na sina Councilors Alfie Fernandez, Lim at Lim-Acosta.

Dahil majority ang minority sa quorum noong September 26, ipinasok ng minority – like a thief in the night – ang P1.3 billion na proposed ordinance 0-835 para sa budget ni Mayor Belen T. Fernandez.

Itong P1.3 billion ay nasupalpal na ito early this year noong ayaw patinag si Mayor na ipakita sa majority dads ang mga pangalan at suweldo ng mga job orders employees (JOE). Dahil naabutan ng March 31, balik reenacted budget si Mayor na wala ang 20 percent development funds sa mga bagong proyekto, supplemental budget, no creation and filling of new positions at iba pa.

Sinabi sa social media ng isang nagdaramdam na miyembro ng majority dahil doon sa salisi na dapat ang kailangan pag appropriation ordinance ay QUALIFIED MAJORITY (lahat ng councilors andoon man o wala) ang bubuto hindi ang SIMPLE MAJORITY (na pasok sa quorum of majority (7 or more councilors) ng buong miyembro ng collegiate body na 13 kasama dito ang vice mayor).

Itong Qualified Majority ay nadesisyunan na ng Korte Suprema sa kaso ng Municipality of Corilla noong 2022.

Kung mag counter criminal charge man ang Majority sa Minority at kay Mayor Belen, ito ang mabigat na Anti Graft na kaso na puwede nilang gamitin lalo kung sinimulang ginastus na ang illegal appropriation na P1.3 billion.