Rama willing to go to high court

CEBU, Philippines - If the Cebu City Council will insist, Mayor Michael Rama is willing to go to the Supreme Court if only to settle the controversy surrounding his appointment of Emma Villarete as officer-in-charge of the city treasurer’s office.

“I am willing to go up to the Supreme Court to discuss the matter if they would like to be legally strict about it,” Rama said.

The Council earlier referred to Villarete’s appointment as unacceptable. The Council, headed by Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young, recognizes Acting City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo because she was appointed by the Bureau of Local Government Finance.

Citing the Local Government Code of the Philippines, Rama said yesterday that the executive department has the local autonomy to appoint an officer-in-charge of a department while a regular employee has not yet been chosen.

“The City Council is not the one running the city. We are the one running the city. Are they now going against the local autonomy? We do not think about their right to overcome the body,” he said.

Rama said the Council is going beyond its authority when it continues to recognize Camarillo as acting treasurer despite Villarete’s designation. Rama designated Villarete, the assistant city treasurer, as officer-in-charge through a memorandum dated Nov. 11, 2011.

“The law is very clear. The mayor should submit the names,” he said, adding, that he has not communicated with BLGF just yet about the issue. As of yesterday, Rama was working on the three names for submission to BLGF.

Even if it is a procedure for BLGF to appoint Camarillo as Acting City Treasurer, Rama argued that the procedure is not necessarily the law.

“The law is the law. And what is the law? The Local Government Code,” the mayor said.

Besides, Rama said, he only designated Villarete as OIC, not as an acting treasurer, thus, the City Council has nothing to worry about.

“Nganong problemahon man ‘na nila? Ang ilang problemahon is to respect the autonomy of the local government unit,” he said.

Rama contended that if the chief executive has lost his trust on someone in his or her team, he or she is not obliged to retain that person’s services. “That’s the time a person should resign. Ug wa na’y gusto ang tawo, muinsister jud ka?” he said.

He said he will refer the matter to the city attorney’s office for possible disciplinary action against Camarillo.

Effective last week, Rama directed Villarete to assume Camarillo’s duties and responsibilities as OIC of the treasurer’s office pending action/response of the BLGF on his request for Camarillo’s replacement.

Rama had written to BLGF Executive Director Ma. Presentacion Montesa, saying he has lost his trust and confidence on Camarillo and asked Montesa to appoint an acting city treasurer as soon as possible so that the ongoing budget hearings at the City Council will not be compromised.

Rama appointed Villa-rete to explain the budget’s revenue sources during the start of the budget hearings last November 4, but the Council ignored Villarete and asked for Camarillo instead.

Councilor Edgar Labella said earlier that Camarillo can continue to occupy her position until Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima revokes her appointment. — (FREEMAN)