Opposition dads excluded from Gullas street measure

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Councilor Dennis Basillote yesterday said there is no point having opposition councilors be made as co-sponsors of an ordinance which names a street after Congressman Antonio Bacaltos Sr. Street on the ground that they opposed it before it was approved by the council.

“Tataw kaayo ang ilang objection sukad pa sa sinugdanan so angay usab nga objectan ang ilang suggestion nga i-approve ang ordinance on mass motion,” said Basillote in an interview.

Basillote’s comment came after Councilor Romeo Villarante made a motion last Tuesday asking that the resolution of Councilor Eduardo Gullas III be approved on mass motion with him and fellow opposition councilors Danny Caballero and Val Ylanan as co-sponsors.

Villarante made the motion to manifest that they had no objection to the passage of the proposal, and that they only wanted the council to observe the proper process in approving an ordinance.

The three councilors had earlier said that the administration councilors had railroaded the process in approving the proposal.

Villarante made his motion, and majority leader Rodi Cabigas objected, noting those “bad comments” of the three councilors despite Villarante’s explanation that those were only “clarificatory questions” that they had raised.

“Tinuod siguro nga clarificatory questions pero slighted man kay lahi man ang iyang previous statements,” Cabigas said.

The administration councilors maintained that the proposal had undergone two public consultations before it was approved, hence it is not true that they hastened its approval.

For his part, Councilor Edward Alesna said the rest of the majority councilors may become co-sponsors, but not the three councilors from the opposition.

The council last Tuesday approved Gullas’s proposal naming the road that passes through barangays Lawaan 1 and II, Mohon, and Pooc after the late congressman.