Mandaue dads skip session

CEBU, Philippines - No session was held yesterday afternoon at the Mandaue City council hall due to lack of quorum with Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna as well as six of the opposition councilors failing to turn up.

Present were only councilors Diosdado Suico, Jimmy Lumapas, Beethoven Andaya, Jefferson Ceniza, and Victor Biaño, who recently bolted the opposition party and declared himself an independent councilor.

Absent were opposition councilors Emiliano Rosal, Noeleen Borbajo, Alfonso Albano Jr., Editha Cabahug, Procopio Villanueva, and Gian Gubalani.

Majority floor leader Victor Biano in the absence of Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna, yesterday declared "no quorum" after learning from SP secretary Frelyn Mabanag of the whereabouts of the absent councilors.

Mabanag said she received a communication from Fortuna that he was at the Grand Convention Center attending the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education.

Borbajo said she was a delegate that was tasked to attend an International Organization for Standardization for the University of the Visayas maritime school.

Gubalani said he was taking his final examination in school.

Rosal informed the SP secretary through a text message that he was suffering from severe cough.

The rest of the absent councilors failed to give reasons for skipping the session.

"There are some items in the agenda which need immediate action and perhaps they just want to paralyze the mayor again," Biaño said.

Biaño said he hopes that the absence of all opposition councilors was not intentional and are not part of their "destructive politics" because there were lots of items in yesterday's agenda which need immediate action especially that the election ban on projects is already nearing.

Election ban on projects will take effect on March 26, which is 45 days before the election.

"I surmise they agreed among themselves kay mag caucus man sila every Monday. Maybe they are insecure when Carlo is not around," Biaño said.

Biaño said that although he is not saying that Fortuna was lying but he finds it amazing for him to attend the MCLE on a Tuesday because he can attend the affair on any day he wants.

Biaño said the city cannot implement more projects since there are only two sessions left and that the election ban on projects will already take effect. Not unless Mayor Jonas Cortes asks the council to hold a special session.

Among the projects that will be affected is the City Disasters Coordinating Council resolution which realigned the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) funds worth P27 million wherein each barangay is supposed to receive P1 million each and another P10 million to be taken from the surplus of the newly constructed approaches of the Cabancalan-Canduman bridge.

Instead, the entire P37 million will be realigned to rehabilitate all roads in the city.

“If di gihapon sila motunga sa special session nga ipatawag sa mayor bahala na sila, kay kun pamulitika ning ila, nasayup sila, because its the people of Mandaue who will be a strong judge. Magpapili man kaha na sila," Biaño said.

However, in a separate interview, Fortuna said that he cannot speak for his party mates but he probably thought that they were out meeting with constituents to explain the issues thrown at them as he alleged that the administration has been spreading a "hate campaign" against them.

Fortuna claimed that what Biaño was suffering from election paranoia.

“I would say that his thinking is the result of election paranoia and selective observation because we have already been approving infrastructure contracts since the start of this year.

The general observation however is that why are these contracts only coming this year when the funding by the council of these projects were approved as early as 2008? Is he cramming or is it intentional and deliberate for election purposes? Either way, it shows the administration’s inefficiency.

Rosal, on the other hand, denied Biaño’s allegation that his absence was intentional as really needed "bed rest" due to his severe cough.

Rosal explained that since 2007 up to December 2009, records will show that he only had one absence, this after he came late during a special session.

Even under the circumstances, he still thought he could attend yesterday's session, the reason why he included three items in yesterday's agenda.

This items include for first reading a re-routing ordinance, tax exemption for a concert by the Benedicto College this March 26, and a barangay budget ordinance.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jonas Cortes yesterday said he will be calling for a special session this Thursday and it will be up to the council if they will heed his call or not.

“Kun di sila motunga ,di manubag sila sa katawhan kay alang man na sa mga tawo nga mga proyekto (referring to a City Disaster Coordinating Council resolution) Cortes said. - THE FREEMAN