Council doors remain shut on Malonzo

A repeat of the near-violent clash in April this year failed to materialize at the Caloocan City Hall yesterday after Christopher "PJ" Malonzo failed to show up as promised at the regular session of the city council.

Despite an appointment approved by President Arroyo and having taken his oath of office before Caloocan City regional trial court Executive Judge Victoria Isabel Parades in April, the young Malonzo, to this day, is still out of City Hall, effectively prevented by a case in court filed by Councilor Nora Nubla contesting the same presidential appointment.

Recent developments indicated that the finality of the young Malonzo’s appointment to the council for now lies with the Court of Appeals (CA).

City Legal Officer Teresita Capacillo said further that Nubla’s petition needed an en banc decision of at least five justices of the CA.

Capacillo told The STAR that the CA has to resolve the motion for reconsideration filed yesterday by Nubla within 15 days before its decision allowing the young Malonzo to sit in the council becomes final and executory.

"Hindi pwedeng madaliin yan. They have to wait for the time until such decision has been deemed final and executory," Capacillo said.

She added that Malonzo has to present a certificate of finality issued by the CA before he can take his seat at the city council.

Word got around at City Hall that the young Malonzo’s father, former Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo, had announced over the radio that "whether they like it or not" his son will finally assume his post yesterday.

The city council doors, however, remained shut on Malonzo’s eldest son as the session was adjourned for lack of quorum at a few minutes past two.

Unlike in the past when Malonzo, accompanied by his mother Gigi Emnace-Malonzo and former city administrator Mamerto Manahan, stormed the session hall in April and sparked a brawl between supporters of opposing camps, neither the young councilor nor his representatives were seen at City Hall.

Only four, among them Councilors Henry Cammayo, Alex Aruelo, Dante Prado and Gualberto Bacolod, were present at the session hall at the appointed business hour.

Aruelo told The STAR that the other councilors had prior appointments.

He added that Nubla, the main petitioner in the case involving Malonzo’s appointment to the city council, was in Davao City for an education seminar with City Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Manalo.

Cammayo, in an interview at his office, said that there is no way yet Malonzo can take his post.

"He (Malonzo) probably knows his law, his rights, that’s why he did not come today," he said.

However, Cammayo conceded that once the court decides with finality, they have no recourse but to accept Malonzo in the council.