VICE Mayor Belen Fernandez said that the new comprehensive set of internal rules and procedures   adopted by the new majority in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) was not simply directed against her but at the heart of transparency and good governance.

She said the new set of internal rules and procedures prepared by nine councilors, five of them are her party mates in the Liberal Party, is intended to make transactions in the SP as secretive as possible, limiting the discussion to the committee chairmen and members to the exclusion of the vice mayor, who is the council’s presiding officer, whose powers are provided for under the Local Government Code.

She warned that henceforth the committees alone, without any direction or intervention from the presiding officer, will decide whether to pass any measure they want even without the requisite of public discussions, which is at the spirit of the law.

She said the new rules will not stop her from speaking out on issues that are detrimental to the interests of the city particularly if some activities are clearly tainted with corruption.

“This is what President Aquino expects from all public officials –to pave the way towards Matuwid na Daan – and I will do my part,” she inoned in an interview with The PUNCH.

Three months ago, Fernandez already hinted that the turnaround of Councilors Karlos Reyna, Librada Reyna, Alvin Coquia, Jesus Canto and Luis Samson Jr. could happen after they collaborated with the minority in passing a resolution during a controversial special session on April 20, 2012 giving Mayor Benjamin Lim the authority to initiate the sale of MC Adore and the city property in Barangay Talibaew, Calasiao.

With the new majority in the SP and with the exclusion of the vice mayor in any deliberation, the sale of MC Adore and the Calasiao property is now assured of smooth sailing.

She added that the pending moves to investigate irregularities in the city hall will no longer be entertained.

Among the provisions in the new rules that explicitly discriminate against the vice mayor includes:

“Any member of the Sanggunian, other than the Vice Mayor, may recommend the creation of the reorganization of any regular standing committee. Section 17 c. The vice mayor shall neither be a member, Vice Chairman, nor Chairman, of any standing special committee;

The Vice Mayor shall neither be a member, Vice Chairman nor Chairman of any standing or special committee.

Only committee members shall attend a committee meeting unless the majority of the members thereof decided to allow other persons to be person especially invited resource persons or consultants.

Only the chairman, vice-chairman and the committee members will be allowed to participate in deliberations of the committees.

She cited other provisions that promote secrecy or conspiracy instead of complete transparency include:

• The new rule that prohibits the vice mayor from attending any and all committee meetings.
• Standing committees shall only invite the heads of departments or offices strictly for inquiries in aid of legislation only, implying no department head will be called to respond to investigations or inquiries on performances of the departments.
• No issue/matter pending with committees shall be discussed during regular and special sessions unless recommended by the committees concerned;
• A proposed ordinance may no longer be required to be read in full during second reading.

Councilor Alipio Serafin Fernandez reportedly pleaded to the new majority in their closed-door meeting prior to the formal session to remove the provisions limiting the powers of the vice mayor but Councilor Brian Lim, son of the mayor, reportedly rejected the plea.

Vice Mayor Fernandez said the new set of rules is not geared towards reconciliation and unity, but rather a calculated move to cuff her hands to prevent her from interfering in the moves of the new majority which she fears would mostly be prejudicial to the interest of the city.

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