Council probes Buot-Taup conflict

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has formed a committee to look into the conflict between Buot-Taup Barangay Captain Rosalita Callino and the majority opposition councilors.

The five opposition councilors – Richard Bacayan, Rogelio Cabrillos, Ricardo Cabrera, Constituto Bacayam and Donardo Labitad – complained before City Council committee on laws chairperson Edgardo Labella against Callino’s alleged abuse of authority.

Callino is appointing Maritess Morales as their barangay treasurer but the opposition councilors are against her appointment. According to them, she did not meet the required qualifications for the position. They also claimed she is inefficient and not fit for the job.

The five councilors ran under the ticket of former barangay captain Ritchie Sibla in the 2010 barangay elections who lost to Callino. During the term of Sibla, Callino was with the majority.

In a separate interview, Labella, who will head the committee of three to look into the complaint, said the conflict must be settled considering that the position of the barangay treasurer is vital in the operation of the barangay.

“There will be a vacuum if they will not agree and could not come up with just and fair solution,” Labella said.

Labella, a lawyer by profession, said the power to appoint is jointly exercised by the Punong Barangay andSanguniang Barangay.

Labella, however, said that appointees whose concurrence are still pending before the barangay council shall be allowed to discharge and perform the powers, duties and responsibilities pertaining to the office and they shall be considered to be holding temporary appointment so as not to disrupt the delivery of public service.

But Memorandum Circular No. 150 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) states that barangay councilors who “obstinately refuse to concur to the appointments of the punong barangay without a valid and legal cause” also have the risk of being charged for abuse of authority.

The DILG said that the councilors shall “simply determine whether or not the appointee of the Punong Barangay possesses all the qualifications…any withholding of concurrence by the Sangguniang Barangay shall be considered whimsical, arbitrary and unjustifiable, and would thus be tantamount to abuse of authority.”

Moreover, the circular states that the Punong Barangay must ensure that the appointee has all the qualifications: “of legal age, a qualified voter; actual resident of the barangay concerned, and none of the disqualifications…” (FREEMAN)