THE ad hoc Blue Ribbon committee of the Sangguniang Panlungsod will continue its investigation in aid of legislation into the complaints raised by The PUNCH editor-publisher Ermin Garcia Jr. in his column despite an attempt of Vice Mayor Brian Lim to put an end to the probe.

Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo, head of the committee, said during the regular session last week that they have noted the personal stance of Lim that he wants the probe discontinued if it will only malign certain persons and  violate their rights.

The vice mayor said that legislative inquiries would be useless if there are no resolutions or ordinances that would be crafted out as a result of the investigations.

Lim is among those named in the complaint filed for allegedly failing to account for monies he received in his capacity as chairman of the exeuctive committee of Bangus Festival in the past.

He expressed his sentiment about the probe when Tamayo took the floor and called on members of the ad hoc committee about their next meeting, to be held after the SP’s next regular session, to tackle one of the issues raised by Garcia through drawing of lots during the regular session.

Lim butted in and expressed his displeasure about the drawing of lots during a regular session of the SP saying “this is not allowable.. this is unethical and also immoral”.

In response, Tamayo said the committee “will stay within the aspect of legislative inquiry,” but that “there are certainly some laws that can come out of the inquiry.”

Tamayo, one of the legal luminaries in Dagupan, relented and stated the committee’s respect for the vice mayor’s view that no draw lots should be conduced during the session and announced that the process will simply be conducted at the committee level.

During the floor deliberation, Tamayo defended the investigation being conducted by committee saying that this is under the Code of Ethical Standards for Public Officials, maintaining that even a mere letter from a private citizen should be acted upon by any elected official.

INDEPENDENT

Meanwhile, Lim said he does recognize the independence of the ad hoc committee which has so far only investigated one issue raised by Garcia, which is the proliferation of fish cages in rivers during the previous administration.

Lim went on to express the view that since it is a legislative inquiry, the people invited as resource speaker are not legally compelled to appear before the committee.

In an an obvious effort to play down the role of the blue ribbon committee, he reminded the councilors that the SP has no subpoena power to compel any one to attend its legislative inquiry.

Tamayo assured that the committee, as it did in its first and only investigation, will probe matters that pertain to certain city ordinances.

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