City ABC president survives ouster move

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — The Liga ng mga Barangay has decided to retain the status quo despite the resolution espoused by 11 of 15 barangay captains in the city to oust its president Faro Cabalit of barangay Taloto.

Cabalit rose, seemingly unscathed, during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod last Friday and pointed out in his privilege speech that he never relinquished his position as the president of the Liga of Tagbilaran City.

He then urged the City Council to disregard or "never accord any recognition on the outcome of the illegally reconvened meeting last August 9, 2011" called by LnB vice president Manolo Blanco (barangay Mansasa), in an attempt to replace him as the president.

Cabalit said he intends to continue performing his duties to avoid the liability of abandoning the office and will continue attending to all his functions despite the ouster move of some members of the LnB.

The LnB, with Blanco presiding, has illegally reconvened on August 9, after the special meeting was adjourned, just to find a way, via a resolution, to declare all positions in the body vacant, said Cabalit.

The grounds, which Brgy. Chairman Besas cited in the resolution declaring all positions in the LnB-Tagbilaran Chapter vacant, were not in its constitution and by-laws, and therefore illegal, he said. 

The resolution cited as grounds, that Cabalit's "recent actuations...caused widespread disenchantment among the majority of the members of the Tagbilaran City ABC Federation. This disillusionment has led to the decision to declare loss of confidence in the leadership of Cabalit....His continued stay in office will lead to demoralization and even factionalism that is detrimental to the LnB."

During the August 9 special meeting of the LnB, Cabalit explained that declaring all positions vacant had no merit being the wrong means presented in a wrong venue.

However, Poblacion 1 Barangay Chair Arlene Karaan insisted on approving the resolution. Failing to come to terms, Cabalit adjourned the special meeting, but Blanco took over and reconvened the body in an apparent move to accommodate the resolution.

Besas had been passive then and Karaan pursued on the resolution. Of the 12 barangay chairs who heeded Blanco, 11 signed the resolution–Karaan, Blanco, Besas, Eleuterio Paredes (Poblacion 2), Nestor Mendez (Bool),   Eutorgio Telmo Jr. (Booy), Alberto Puagang (Dao), Leda Saco (Manga), Gildardo Bustamante (San Isidro), Marcelo Epe (Tiptip), and Timoteo Maglahus (Ubujan).

Poblacion 3 Barangay Captain Odysseus Glovasa abstained. Barangay Captains Fredison Ingles of Dampas and Sergio Bangalao of Cabawan stood by Cabalit. — THE FREEMAN