Rama to sue Councilors

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama yesterday threatened to file appropriate charges against members of the Cebu City Council who approved the ordinance amending the 2013 Appropriation Ordinance and requires the city to release the cash assistance to senior citizens every month.

The 14 city legislators allied with the Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK) voted for the approval of the ordinance sponsored by Councilors Augustus Pe Jr. and Rodrigo Abellanosa, while only three councilors opposed.

Team Rama-allied councilors Edgardo Labella, Jose Daluz III and Eduardo Rama claimed that what their fellow city legislators did was considered illegal because it was done without the endorsement of the executive department.

Daluz and Labella, both lawyers by profession, said any changes in the Appropriations Ordinance should come from the executive department although it would be subject for approval by the City Council.

“Mora na man hinoon og ang mga sakop sa City Council maoy mayor, unya ako maoy konsehal,” Rama said when the reporters asked his comment. (They are acting as if they are the mayor, and I am the councilor.)

The mayor said he will veto the approved ordinance, but it is expected that the City Council will also override his veto power.

“Sagdi lang, ipangkiha nako na sila,” said Rama. He announced that he will ask his lawyers to study the matter and gather the necessary evidence to be used in filing the case with the proper venue. (I will file charges against them.)

When the City Council passed the Appropriation Ordinance last December, the city legislators placed a provision that the cash assistance of the senior citizens in Cebu City will be released only on June and December this year.

Rama criticized the move of the City Council because he wants to release the senior citizens’ cash assistance before the May 13 elections. Daluz proposed that the release of cash assistance shall be made every three months.

But Abellanosa and Daluz also proposed that the cash assistance should be released every month, particularly every first Monday of the month, and it was already approved in yesterday’s session of the city legislators.

Rama announced that the cash assistance shall be released to the seniors on March 26 for those living in the barangays of the north district, and those in south district will also receive their cash assistance the following day. — (FREEMAN)