Opposition councilors question appointment of new civil registrar

CEBU, Philippines - Despite the minority councilors' opposition, administration councilors concurred the appointment of former Human Resource Officer Emely Cabrera as the new civil registrar and the minority voted against it.

Eight administration councilors voted for the appointment while three from the opposition voted against it.

Councilor Romeo Villarante, one of the three in the opposition bloc, said Cabrera is not qualified to the post, based on the Local Government Code.

Quoting Article 9, Section 479 of the Local Government Code, Villarante told the council that: "No person shall be appointed civil registrar unless...he must have acquired experience in civil registry work for at least five years in the case of the city civil registrar and three years in the case of the municipal civil registrar."

In an interview shortly after the session, Villarante said Cabrera, although she has been with Talisay since 1991, has just recently started her work at the civil registrar's office last June 14, and this despite the lack of concurrence of her appointment by the council.

Before Mayor Socrates Fernandez appointed her to the post, which was left vacant by lawyer Gemma Ladion upon her resignation, Cabrera served as the city human resource officer.

Villarante however said that even if the appointment and concurrence is "questionable," if no one would stand up to protest against it before the Civil Service Commission, it could become like what happened to Ladion's case, which was also had its legal implication because the former civil registrar did not possess the qualifications for the post.

But the councilor, who is a practicing lawyer himself, said that there are applicants to the job who are "more qualified" to the post who may likely question the appointment.

Minority Councilors Danny Caballero and Val Ylanan also supported Villarante with their "no" votes.

In her speech, Cabrera said she was thankful for the concurrence and told the council that she has been serving Talisay since 1991, even before it became a city.

She also said she is "very experienced" and "qualified" for the job. – THE FREEMAN