ABSENTEE COUNCILORS STILL NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE

DURING the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s October 17 session, the majority bloc councilors attempted, but failed anew, to nullify Dagupan’s P1.3 billion budget through technical maneuvers.

The seven-man majority bloc aimed to render the P1.3 billion annual budget of Dagupan nullified by disapproving the minutes of the September 26 session of the city council, the same session when the budget was passed.

However, Vice Mayor Bryan Kua foiled this attempt by the seven councilors by reaffirming his earlier ruling, stating that “only those present during the September 26 session, attended by nine out of 12 councilors, can vote on the approval of said minutes.”

Kua did not allow Councilors Alfie Fernandez, Celia Lim and Irene Lim-Acosta to vote on the consolidated motion introduced by the majority during the opening of the October 17 session, which sought to ‘reaffirm the disapproval of the minutes of session dated September 26, 2023 and ‘to rescind the approval of the minutes of the regular session dated September 26, 2023.’

Floor Leader Michael Fernandez, however, countered that the minutes of the said session was already approved during the October 10 session. This statement was backed by Sanggunian Secretary Ryan Ravanzo.

Similar to the voting drawn on the October 10 session, the minority bloc again outvoted the majority, 5 to 4, because only Librada Macalanda, Alvin Coquia, Marilou Fernandez and Redford Erie-Mejia were allowed to cast their votes.

Vice Mayor Kua again ruled that the councilors who were then overseas during the September 26 session, namely Councilors Alfie Fernandez, Celia Lim and Irene Lim-Acosta cannot authenticate the proceedings’ minutes.

Councilor Alfie Fernandez maintained, however, that the minutes of the September 26 session remain unapproved.

In maintaining his group’s stance, he went as far as mentioning news and opinion articles of The PUNCH related to the issue, and tagged them as ‘inaccurate.’

But his statement was nixed by Councilor Michael Fernandez and SP Secretary Ryan Ravanzo interpolated that “based on records of the Sanggunian, the minutes of the September 26 session were already approved.”

After failing to invalidate the passage of the P1.3 billion annual budget again, Councilor Macalanda moved for the disapproval of the minutes of the October 3 and 10 sessions.

But when reminded by Councilor Jeslito Seen that it is “illegal to delete the minutes of past sessions,” Macalanda changed her motion to “a motion to defer the approval of the minutes of the October 3 and 10 sessions”, which was passed by 7-5 vote in favor of the majority bloc.

They also passed amendments to their House Rules, 7-5, without giving the minority bloc a chance to review the amendments. (Leonardo Micua)

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