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The
political gap that separated Mayor Dan Neri Lim and V-Mayor
Jose Antonio Veloso has widened with the bones of contention
centered on the appropriation of casuals and the sale of city
ordinances.
The
trigger mechanism was the letter of V-Mayor Veloso to City
Budget Officer Rosemarie Palma.
In
that letter, the vice mayor chided the city budget officer
for her refusal to certify the availability of appropriations
for wages of job order casuals to the Sangguniang Panglungsud.
According
to Veloso, of the less than two months that he assumed office,
Palma continually refused his requests, the latest of which
was on the appropriation of casuals.
Palma
did not take Veloso's admonition sitting down. She forwarded
Veloso's letter to Mayor Lim setting off the bitter exchange
of communications.
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Taking
the cudgels for his budget officer, Mayor Lim took to
task Veloso by citing the limitations of the vice mayor's
jurisdiction of his duties and responsibilities.
The
mayor informed Veloso that city budget office performs
an executive function and therefore directly under the
city chief executive.
The
mayor further said that in any event that the vice mayor
has any complaint on the conduct of the city budget
office or any officer under the executive department,
the correct procedure would be to address any query
or complaint to the city mayor himself.
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Calling
Veloso's gesture as an act of disrespect, Mayor Lim reminded
Veloso that no incident of this kind will occur in the future
for their mutual benefit. He warned that a repetition of this
indiscretion will be dealt with more severely.
The
swapping of raps between the mayor and vice mayor did end
there.
MAYOR
VETOES RESOLUTION
On
the same day that the mayor castigated Veloso, Lim also vetoed
a resolution of the Sangguniang Panglungsud authorizing the
disposition and sale of copies of the Revised Code of Administrative
Ordinances.
Mayor
Lim explained that his move to veto a resolution authored
by the vice mayor was intended to let the people know the
truth.
Lim
said the veto, which the mayor said he did "with a heavy
heart", was in consideration of the people's sacred right
to information.
The
controversial measure authored by the vice mayor seeks to
raise revenues from those who want to obtain copies of the
Revised Code of Administrative Ordinances in book form.
Lim
said he could not sign a legislative measure that is defective
in form and in substance.
While
a resolution is merely an expression of legislative opinion
or sentiment, an ordinance pertains to governmental functions.
The
mayor said a mere glance at the title of Resolution No. 07-94
"Authorizing The Disposition And Sale of Copies of the
Ordinance No. C-201 Otherwise Known as the 2007 Revised Code
of Administrative Ordinance of the City of Tagbilaran "
will show that "this is more than just an expression
of legislative opinion and rather pertains to government function".
Aside
from the flaw in form, Lim said there are at least three major
flaws that should have been considered prior to the approval
of the questionable measure.
First,
the mayor said the granting of authority to a functionary
of the legislative department to perform an executive function
"is an encroachment on Executive functions".
Secondly,
Lim said the measure has no basis in law. Although it mentions
the Revised Code of Administrative Ordinances of the city
government, he said the measure is more of revenue-making
and should have considered as basis the City's Revenue Code
or the Local Government Code which he described as "the
Bible" of the local government unit's operation.
Thirdly,
the mayor said the most important consideration is that ordinances
being public documents should be open to any citizen who desires
to have access to them.
"To
allow access to these documents only upon payment of cost
is a violation of a sacred Constitutional right," the
mayor stressed.
The
veto is viewed as the most serious crisis to ensue between
the two top officials who have been at odds since Day 1.
Lim
said he could not in principle allow the measure to be passed
considering its grave implications to the people's right to
information.
"While
nearly every functionary in government and selected private
citizens are given copies of the city ordinances, the ordinary
people have to pay first before they can see them. This is
not what democracy is all about," he noted.
The
mayor said that notwithstanding his personal hesitation and
due respect to the vice mayor, his conscience will not allow
him to let the said measure be passed into law "just
because it is authored by the vice mayor."
Lim
also took time out to chide the vice-mayor's insistence to
defend the measure saying it would have been easier if the
controversial measure was pulled out and an apology issued
regarding the errors it contained.
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