THE majority bloc in the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod refused to accept three of the legal opinion of the regional office of Department of the Interior and Local Government on the four issues raised by Vice Mayor Bryan Kua and the five minority councilors—Michael Fernandez, Jeslito Seen, Dennis Canto, Marcelino Fernandez and Bradley Benavides on May 31, 2024

The  rejection was manifested by opposition Councilor Alfie Fernandez, the only lawyer in the Dagupan SP, in response to the privilege speech of Councilor and Minority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez who read the June 11, 2024, three-page letter from DILG Regional Office 1 signed by Regional Director Jonathan Paul Leusen Jr.

“With due respect to the legal opinion rendered by DILG Regional Director Jonathan Paul Leusen Jr. of Region 1, we are sorry to say that we are not in full agreement,” Councilor Alfie Fernandez said. “Itong opinion po ng DILG ay hindi po siya tama. Hindi po namin (majority bloc) dapat sundin,” he continued.

Fernandez instead called on his fellow councilors to seek the legal opinion of the Interior and Local Government Secretary himself since DILG officials do share differing opinions.

In refuting the legal opinion of the DILG’s Leusen, Fernandez challenged Leusen to read the Supreme Court decision in Zamora versus Caballero (GR No. 147767, 14 January 2024), a jurisprudence that Leuson, he said, cannot but agree with.

He challenged the minority bloc to file a case in court questioning Councilor Alvin Coquia’s participation twice in sessions while on leave and overseas so a jurisprudence on the issue can form part of the law of the land.

Fernandez maintained his previous stand that the advent of new technologies such as Zoom, Messenger and Viber, a member of the legislature in the Philippines can already participate in their sessions even if they are on leave and absent even outside of Philippine jurisdiction, citing the situation as common in other Sanggunians in the country.

However, Fernandez hailed Leusen’s opinion that House Rules need to be amended by a resolution. “Kaya tama po ang ginagawa namin dito sa Sanggunian,” intoned.

As to the third issue, he said that based on the researches conducted by the majority members, it is allowed to give credence to what his or her colleagues have done in the previous session and to attest the good work of the secretariat.

“Hindi po competent ang ibinigay na legal opinion ng DILG Regional  Director, Fernandez said reiterating that minutes can also be corrected by the members of the Sanggunian who were absent during sessions.

But he said the majority is in full accord with the DILG opinion that the duly elected chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act should be the chairman of the Youth and Sports Development Committee. (Leonardo Micua)

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