AFTER DEFERMENT MOVE FAILED

THE seven-man majority bloc in the Sangguniang Panlungsod introduced substantial amendments to the council’s Internal Rules of Procedures (IRP), in response to Vice Mayor Bryan Kua’s role in the 2023 budget dispute.

Among the amendments to the IRP include provisions for virtual attendance at council sessions and constraints on the Vice Mayor’s powers regarding vote certification.

The majority bloc’s action was seen by their critics as counteractions to actions of VM Kua’s refusal to reverse his earlier decision regarding the certification of votes related to the official minutes of a particular session on the approval of the city’s P1.3 billion annual budget, during which three majority members were on leave.

The IRP amendments substantially diminish the powers of both the presiding officer and the Sangguniang Panlungsod Secretary, effectively reducing their roles to nominal positions.

The amended IRP was passed with approval from the seven majority councilors and objections from the five minority councilors.

VM Kua, minority push back

In response, VM Kua announced his intention to seek declaratory relief and a prohibitory injunction in court to prevent the majority from enforcing the amended IRP. Councilor Alfie Fernandez, a lawyer, said the amended IRP will be enforced until the court intervenes.

Additionally, the City Council Secretary, Ryan Ravanzo, received support from the League of Sanggunian Secretaries of the Philippines to help him retain the powers and duties outlined in the Local Government Code. Ravanzo, expressed his shock at the unprecedented move to clip his office’s duties and authority but withheld his comments.

Meanwhile, Minority Leader Michael Fernandez pointed out that the amended rules violate the Local Government Code and cannot override Supreme Court decisions or the Constitution as he clarified that IRPs only rank fourth in the hierarchy of parliamentary procedures.

These IRP amendments were introduced at the beginning of the session, providing minority councilors with insufficient time to review them.

Other amendments without precedence include mandating the commencement of sessions 15 minutes after the designated start time, regardless of the Vice Mayor’s presence; prohibiting measures from proceeding to the second reading without a favorable committee report; and outlining penalties for alleged intentional acts of fraud, falsification, negligence, dereliction of duty, and serious dishonesty. (Leonardo Micua)

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