“CHALLENGE ACCEPTED”

THE word war that broke out between the city hall and the sanggunian in Dagupan City in 2022 on the 2023 annual budget continues, and there appears no end to it in months ahead, not with new threats and demands flying around to see who blinks first again.

Last week, Councilor Alfie Fernandez, a member of the of the majority, challenged the members of the minority during the regular session to file a case against him and his fellow members in the majority if they think they violated the law when they deleted the 2023 annual budget from the agenda for second reading in the July 4 regular session in the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

The minority knew it can’t file so Mayor Belen Fernandez took up the cudgels for the minority and declared: “Challenge accepted.”

“I accept the challenge of Councilor Alfie  Fernandez to file cases against them for denying Dagupan the annual budget that it deserves,” Fernandez said during a forum at Kabaleyan Channel of USATV Wednesday night.

“Mayron ng abuse of authority and dereliction of duty. I accept,” Fernandez added.

She said her consultation with lawyers told her she can file a case of dereliction of duty and abuse of authority over the deliberated delay in passing the 2023 annual budget last March 28, in the mount of P864.98 million, only to be “inoperative in its entirety” by the Department of Budget and Management.

In between, Minority Leader Councilor Michael Fernandez challenged Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia to resign his chairmanship of the committee on laws and appropriation, after constantly reneging on his word after securing a degree of compliance from Mayor Fernandez, and for endorsing an annual budget that was declared “Inoperable in its entirety.”

“There are many opinions issued by the legal department of DILG reminding local Sanggunians lapsed the period for the passing of the annual budget, wherein concerned officials may be held liable,” Fernandez said.

Meanwhile, City Legal Officer Aurora Valle, who was with Fernandez in that forum, advised the city executive that the majority seven can be hailed to court for dereliction of duty, a criminal offense, and abuse of authority, an administrative case.

She said a case of dereliction of duty can be filed if a public official renege in his or her sworn duty and a case of abuse of authority can also be filed because what they did was something capricious and whimsical.

“I am a very silent person pero kung nakikita mo na naqsu-suffer ang bayan and it is very glaring that ayaw nilang gumalaw, it’s high time that we do something because they really abused their authority,” Valle said.

Minority Leader, Councilor Michael Fernandez confirmed that if a public official or an employee violated his oath of office, he can be charged for dereliction  of duty. (Leonardo Micua)

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