Toledo Council majority bloc lambasts VM Yapha

CEBU, Philippines - The majority bloc of the Toledo City Council lambasted their presiding officer, Vice Mayor Antonio Yapha Jr., for his alleged refusal to sign passed and approved resolutions and ordinances.

A joint manifestation was signed expressing their “collective lamentations and frustrations over the blatant, adamant and manifest partiality” of Yapha in his alleged “wilful refusal with evident bad faith if not gross and inexcusable negligence “ to sign resolutions.

Councilors Ricardo Pepito, Marjorie Perales, Antonio Borja Jr., Rogelio Caburnay, Louis Nicholas Espinosa, Helen Jill Espinosa and Edgardo Aguilar signed the joint manifestation.

Yapha denied the allegations saying that if there’s any, it may have been overlooked since he has been signing passed resolutions and ordinances.

Though he told The FREEMAN that there were some resolutions which for him have no benefit to the constituents.

These include the resolution forcing Mayor John Henry Osmeña to hold office at the City Hall.

Osmeña has been holding office at the city-owned Traveller’s Lounge to be closer to the people.

Another resolution aims at filing charges against Osmeña for alleged failure to submit the proposed 2014 annual to the City Council for deliberation which Yapha also denied.

In a privilege speech last Monday’s session, Pepito pointed out that the duty of the Vice Mayor to sign the approved resolutions is already ministerial and not discretionary.

“The signature of the Honorable Vice Mayor does not necessarily mean that he is in agreement as to the contents or intention of the approved resolutions or ordinances but rather than as an attestation that the said resolutions or ordinances were duly passed and approved during City Council’s sessions there being a quorum even if he doesn’t like the tenor, the intentions or contents thereof,” Pepito said.

He suggested that the will of the majority should be respected and in the instant case, Pepito said it is disrespected by the presiding officer with impunity.

“This is a great insult and disrespect to the majority members in particular and to the people of Toledo in general and the City government is being prejudiced thereby,” he said.

Pepito also accused Yapha of being biased when he participated in the deliberation and for taking sides on any issue or question.

“Kahibawo ko sa akong limitation, motingug ko, maka-interpolate man ko, gawas kung mo-actively participate gyud ko,” Yapha said.

The majority bloc has appealed to Yapha to exercise his ministerial duty as provided under the Local Government Code and their House Rules.

“Otherwise the majority will be left with no recourse but to seek legal remedies available and to file our redress before the proper forum and we will transform this joint and collective manifestations into a formal complaint unless he will rectify his acts of omissions,” Pepito added. (FREEMAN)