NEW MAJORITY EMERGES

THE tables have been turned at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) in Dagupan.

Backed by nine members, the SP effected a top-to-bottom reorganization on Wednesday, two days after the July 9 regular session, which put the once vaunted majority into the minority.

The reorganization was brought on by an apparent coup led by minority leader Councilor Brian Lim, son of Mayor Benjamin Lim, who now stands as head of the new majority.

The new majority also adopted a new set of Comprehensive Rules and Procedures that virtually strips the presiding officer, Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, of all powers to initiate action or investigation except to preside and to sit as observer in committee activities.

The reorganization was prompted by a privilege motion on July 9 by Councilor Redford Erfe Mejia where he sought that all positions and standing committees in the SP be left vacant to enable them to reorganize the chamber.

The motion was immediately supported by eight other councilors led by Lim, namely, Jesus Canto, Karlos Liberato Reyna IV, Librada Fe Reyna, Luis Samson Jr., Alvin Coquia, Guillermo Vallejos and John Chester Gonzales

Moving quickly on the same day, the nine councilors presented a letter to Fernandez, copy furnished to City Secretary Ryan Ravanzo, requesting the latter’s presence in the special session to be conducted on July 11, Wednesday for the purpose of enacting Draft Resolution No, P-9952 entitled a resolution  “Adopting a New Comprehensive Set of Internal Rules of Procedure for the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Dagupan.”

Aside from Lim and Erfe-Mejia, the other councilors who signed the resolution were Canto, Karlos Reyna IV, Librada Reyna, Samson, Coquia, Vallejos and Gonzales.

Councilor Alipio Serafin Fernandez attended the special session. Absent were the vice mayor who was attending a 4L meeting in Manila; Councilor Maybelyn Fernandez was attending a Philippine Councilors League meeting in Manila, and Councilor Jeslito Seen was at the Makati City University, all on official business.

In the absence of the regular presiding officer, Councilor Librada Fe Reyna was installed as the acting presiding officer and Karlos Reyna IV as acting majority floor leader.

NEW OFFICERS

Elected during the reorganization are Councilor Alipio Serafin Fernandez, presiding pro tempore; Councilor Librada Fe Reyna, assistant presiding pro tempore; Councilor Karlos Rena IV, majority floor leader; and Councilor Redford Erfe Mejia, assistant majority floor leader. The position of the minority floor leader is still vacant pending the designation by the new members of the minority.

The new chairmen of the standing committees are: Councilor Alvin Coquia, agriculture, land unitization, Local and International Relations and Public Market; Jesus Canto: Appropriation, Health and Sanitation, Senior Citizens Affairs, and Social Welfare and Community Development; Brian Lim: Arts, Culture and Heritage; Economic Affairs, Environmental and Natural Resources; and Rules and Procedures; Guillermo Vallejos, Barangay Affairs; Redford Mejia: Cooperative and Livelihood Development, Dangerous Drugs Committee and Public Information and Mass Media; Luis Samson Jr., Education, Peace and Order and Trade and Industry; Karlos Reyna IV, Urban Housing and Development, Transportation and Public Utilities and Infrastructures; Alfie Fernandez, Laws and Ordinances and Tourism; Librada  Reyna, Women, Children and Family Affairs; Chester Gonzales, Poverty Alleviation and Youth and Sports.

Still to be filled up are the committees on People’s Participation; and Population and Demography. Maybelyn Fernandez and Seen are the only two councilors without committees.

CO-EQUAL NO MORE

Before the body can vote on the New Comprehensive Set of Internal Rules of Procedure, Councilor Fernandez stood up to deliver a privilege speech questioning the propriety of the proposed set of new rules which, if adopted entirely, he said, would virtually surrender the power of the legislative body to the executive, making them no longer co-equal branches.

Fernandez, a lawyer, questioned seven sections in the proposed set of eight rules which he said would not achieve the objective which the supposed reorganization seeks, that is to promote reconciliation and unity and make the council more dynamic and efficient.

“As member of this August body, I respect the sentiment of my colleague who voted for it (call for reorganization) and I submit to it. However, it is not just a reorganization… a new house rule was drafted and this new house rule does not reflect unity and reconciliation as made by the movant,” he said.

NEW RULES

Fernandez proposed amendments to the seven sections that he found to be excessive in the curtailment of the powers of the vice mayor and normal proceedings in the council.

In an interview after the session, Fernandez expressed relief that some of the powers intended to emasculate the council were deleted as he recommended.

Fernandez had objected to Section 23 e that requires city council to be “as specific as possible” about reasons requiring the presence of department heads, i.e., type of assistance and information needed that a committee will need.

He also vehemently objected to Section 27 i which provides: “AUTOMATIC INCLUSION OF A MEASURE IN THE CALENDAR OF BUSINESS, that prescribes a 30-day period for a proposed measure from the city hall to be calendared for second reading from date of referral “ except for a measure that requires a mandatory committee (public) hearing.”

The others are:

• Section 32. RECEIPT OF NOTICE, PRESUMPTION that prescribes that all councilors are deemed duly notified as soon as the secretary of the sanggunian receives a notice from the office of the mayor.
• Section 47. UNDER THREE READING PRINCIPLE; EXCEPTIONS which prescribes the automatic approval of the resolution “resolution approving the City Annual Development Plan and Public Investment Program formulated by the City Development Council unless decided otherwise by a majority of all the Sangguniang Panlungsod members”; further that “No ordinance or resolution approving the City Annual Development Plan and public investment program formulated by the City Development Council shall be considered for second reading in any regular or special session unless it has been reported out by he proper committee to which it was referred, save cases where the same has been duly certified as urgent by the local chief executive”
• Section 48 b provides that any measure certified by the city mayor as “urgent” shall have “priority preference” over all items of of business without suspending the rules “or or even if it is not included in the calendar of business of the day.”
• Section 92. “GUIDING PRINCIPLES that prescribes the strict application of the new published rules.

Fernandez said what was not amended by the majority in the seven amendments he proposed was Section 94: PROCEDURE- The Sangguniang Panlungsod shall only conduct inquiries or investigations in aid of legislation at the committee level”.

The rule precludes any discussion of any issue by the council that was already endorsed to a committee.

Meanwhile, the new majority bloc is “seen as a potent force that would push the reform agenda of Mayor Benjamin S. Lim”, city hall said in a statement issued Friday.

 

Some of the councilors who voted for the reorganization and the passage of a new set of rules and procedures in the SP said the move was intended for unity in the city’s government.

Councilor Red Erfe-Mejia, in his privilege speech last July 9, said “for two years members of the majority and minority are in discord when in session, yet share the same sentiments of unity and peace…for two years, I have not seen clear legislative agenda, what I have seen is the political agenda of the few, and worse using the [Sangguniang Panlugsod] to do so…it’s time to heal the wounds caused by party or political affiliations.”

Meanwhile, the Liga Ng Mga Barangay sa Dagupan has expressed its support to the reorganization saying it “would redound to more effective, harmonious, and beneficial working relationships between the city government’s legislative and executive branches”. (with report from CIO)

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