Labella on Yolanda assistance: Aid ordinance ok’d unanimously

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella released a document showing that the budget ordinance extending P20, 000 as calamity assistance to City Hall employees was carried unanimously during their previous session.

Labella’s document does not coincide with that of Atty. Reymelio Delute who filed an administrative case for grave misconduct and abuse of authority against him, Mayor Michael Rama, and 12 councilors for the alleged illegal appropriation of funds for calamity assistance to 4, 200 city hall officials and employees.

The councilors charged were Nestor Archival Sr., Mary Ann delos Santos, David Tumulak, Nendell Hanz Abella, Sisinio Andales, Alvin Arcilla, Roberto Cabarrubias, Ma. Nida Cabrera, Gerardo Carillo, Alvin Dizon, Eugenio Gabuya Jr. and Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao.

Those who were not included in the complaint, on the other hand, were Councilors Margarita Osmeña, Leah Japson, James Cuenco, Richie Osmeña, and ex officio member Phillip Zafra, who, Labella said, were actually present in the session last December 18, 2013 and voted for the approval of the resolution.

He asked why those who were present, except for Cuenco, who voted and never objected, were not included as respondents.

According to Labella, excerpt from the minutes of the regular session where the budget ordinance was carried unanimously showed that Delos Santos and Cuenco were both on leave and were absent during the session.

Labella also asked why he was included when he did not vote for the approval of the ordinance, saying he was the presiding officer.

The vice mayor said that during the session, the approval of the budget ordinance was moved by Andales and seconded by Wenceslao.

“When I said, is there any discussion, so discussion, exchange of ideas. Then eventually after the discussion, (I asked) is there any objection? Nobody objected. So because nobody objected, all those present voted for the resolution, carried unanimously,” Labella explained.

Delute, however, claimed that he acquired a “certified” document that shows that only Cuenco was absent during the session.

“Dili ‘na selected, nag-rely lang ko sa ilahang (City Hall) document,” Delute said. “Naa pod sa akong copy nga nag-abstain si Margot, unya si Japson ug si Ritchie Osmeña mura’g without man siguro to,” he further claimed.

Margarita Osmeña, for her part, said she respects the sentiments of the others.

“Mine was just abstention because of my personal reason nga I’m not a calamity victim,” she said.

Labella said, though, he will meet the issues head on whether it is politically motivated or not.

The vice mayor said that during a case conference last Thursday, he and councilors Delos Santos, Cuenco, Abella, Tumulak, Zafra, Wenceslao, Carillo, Archival, Cabarrubias, Ritchie Osmeña have signified their intention to have a joint pleading affidavit, as he encouraged the rest of the councilors to also join, saying that all of them have the same theories.

“It has no basis in fact and in law. There was a declaration of calamity. When you say calamity, it doesn’t mean that you are injured or a particular person is injured. The declaration of a calamity is declared in so far as the area is concerned and not to a person,” Labella, also a lawyer, explained. —/NSA (FREEMAN)