Sept 13 proceedings stir PB discussion

CEBU, Philippines – Board Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy has questioned the status of the board's proceedings last September 13 when it approved the P114-million supplemental budget, which covered the allowances of Capitol employees.

During the board's session yesterday, Sitoy pointed out that the proceedings on that day may be null and void because Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. was not supposed to preside over the session.

Sitoy said that if Governor Gwendolyn Garcia already left for Vietnam when the session commenced, Sanchez, technically, was supposed to be acting governor and should not have presided over the session.

Board Member Agnes Magpale, an ally of Garcia, was quick to say that the governor was still in the country on that day.

"I am sure on the 13th, she was still in the Philippines," Magpale said.

Another ally of Garcia, Board Member Jose Ribomapil Holganza Jr., backed Magpale's claim, saying Garcia had not left the country when the supplemental budget was approved.

Sanchez questioned if Garcia had authorized Magpale and Holganza to speak on her behalf to which Magpale answered on the negative, albeit saying that she can produce the plane ticket used by the Governor if only to prove her claim. 

Board Member Joven Mondigo, meanwhile, said that even if Sanchez presided over the session, the proceedings were still valid considering the presumption of regularity in the performance of their official duties and functions.

Holganza also said that by attesting to the passage of the supplemental budget, Sanchez has acknowledged the regularity of the proceedings.

Sitoy then moved that board requests Garcia to give prior notice to the office of the vice governor or the board itself the next time she leaves the country so that there will be a smooth turnover of power and Sanchez can officially assume as acting governor.

Holganza argued it is impolite to make such request to the Governor, but assured he and the other members of the majority bloc will be the ones to channel the message to Garcia.   This convinced Sitoy to withdraw his motion in the end.

A week after her trip to Vietnam, Garcia left for Russia, again without formally turning over the reigns of the Capitol to Sanchez.

The governor was supposed to stay there until last weekend, but she cut her trip short to attend the birthday celebration of her father, former governor and now Second District Rep. Pablo Garcia, last Saturday.

She said the trip lasted for a little over 48 hours yet the same was productive.

"I was also able to meet the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce to invite them to come and join the Philippine-Russia Business Conference which is scheduled next month on the 21st of October," Garcia said yesterday.

Garcia said one of the positive feedback during the presentation of Cebu was the request from the representative of Indonesia if the provincial government and the government of St. Petersburg in Russia put together an expo that would showcase Asian countries.

Next month, an official delegation from St. Petersburg will be coming to Cebu for the Philippine-Russia Business Conference. (FREEMAN)