FINALLY, IT’S DONE

A NEW building for Dagupan’s City Hall is expected to rise soon in the next 24 months in Barangay Pantal.

This became evident after the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) finally passed on Wednesday two resolutions, amidst heated and months-long tedious and emotional discussions, over the controversial transfer of the city hall from its present location on A.B. Fernandez Ave. to the growth area at Pantal-Lucao diversion road.

The SP, by a vote of nine affirmative, one abstention and one against finally approved on second and third reading two draft ordinances: one seeking the transfer of the Dagupan City Hall from A.B. Fernandez Avenue to a donated land along the Pantal-Lucao road and second, providing for the reclassification of this land from agricultural to non-agricultural, particularly for institutional use.

The nine councilors who voted for the two measures were Councilors Joe Netu Tamayo (author of the measures), Lino Fernandez, Maybelyn Fernandez, Alvin Coquia, Dennis Canto, Marvin Fabia, Luis Samson Jr., Nicanor Aquino and Guillermo Vallejos.

Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia voted against it. Councilor Jeslito Seen abstained.

Vice Mayor Brian Lim, who as presiding officer could not vote, also strongly opposed the move echoing Erfe-Mejia’s objections.

Councilor Tamayo explains the highlights of the two ordinances during the regular session presided by Vice Mayor Lim. (PUNCHphoto by Leonardo Micua)

During the deliberation, Erfe-Mejia initially questioned the rationale behind the splitting of Draft Ordinance No. 0-608 into Draft Ordinance 0-608-A and 0-608-B, and proceeded to fie a motion to refer the latter measure (608-B) to a committee hearing since, according to him, it was not taken up during the series of public consultations conducted.  Nobody seconded his motion.

In his privilege speech, Erfe-Mejia also said he received a report that councilors were given P250,000 each for their support, to which Councilor Tamayo replied, “prove it.”

In his dissenting opinion, Erfe-Mejia again called for the conduct of a referendum to decide on the issue of the transfer of city hall but Tamayo argued that it was not possible unless Section 11 of the Local Government Code is amended by Congress.  (Only Congress can direct a referendum, and local issues should be resolved by the local legislative bodies)

The committee report cited seven public hearings “affording the widest participation and engagement by all stakeholders, hence it is indisputably one of the most exhaustive and inclusive consultative assemblies convened by the Sanggunian,…”

The city council approved a resolution in 2014 granting the mayor authority, to look for a lot along Lucao-Pantal highway and negotiate the purchase thereof for the purpose of transferring the city hall therein.

On June 23, 2017, the present Sanggunian approved an ordinance accepting the conditional donation of a portion of lot, about 1.2 hectares, from spouses Kerwin and Mary Ann Fernandez, located near Pantal-Lucao and consequently directed the mayor to execute the deed of conditional donation.

Kerwin is the brother of the mayor.

Lim and Erfe-Mejia assailed the donation alleging that the mayor and her family will stand to benefit from transfer of city hall to the donated lot, since adjacent lots belong to the Fernandez family, and therefore, smacks of conflict of interest and tainted with graft and corruption.

But the joint committee reports said the claims of Lim and Erfe-Mejia were disputed by City Auditor Roberto Ocampo, July 10, 2017 and Department of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere Panadero, in a letter dated July 26, 2017.

Ocampo wrote: “Mr. Kerwin Fernandez, though the brother of the city mayor, may donate his property as act of liberality to the city government of Dagupan and the latter through the authority from the city council, may accept the donation as representative of the city.”

Panadero wrote: “a corresponding increase in value of parcels of land adjoining the donated property is only incidental as other owners of properties adjoining the area are also benefited.”

Also, no one responded to published notices in local papers and in billboards inviting lot owners to donate their property as site for a new city hall. It left only Kerwin Fernandez as the only landowner who offered to donate lot to the city government for the prospective government center/city hall.

On the threat of Erfe Mejia that Mayor Fernandez and the councilors will be charged for pushing the measures, Mayor Belen Fernandez said she is unperturbed by threat of legal action from Lim and Erfe-Mejia. (Eva Visperas/ Leonardo Micua)

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