Aid to farmers not council majority’s priority, says Lao

COUNCILOR Teodulfo Lao has lambasted the city council majority for a
resolution which he said only prevents city hall from aiding farmers
suffering from the dry spell in the city.

Lao said the resolution was inappropriate because of the urgency of a
declaration of a state of calamity in the city.

He said  Resolution no. 2015-173, called  a “City Council Inquiry,”
asked Mayor Oscar Moreno to send city treasurer Glenn Bañez, city
budget officer Percy Salazar, and city accountant Beja Joy Elot to
shed light on city hall’s finances since 2013.

The city council voted, 10-2, in favor of the resolution. Two others abstained.

Voting in favor of the resolution were Councilors President Elipe,
Nadya Elipe, Adrian Barba, Alden Bacal, Alexander Dacer, Leon Gan,
Ramon Tabor, Edna Dahino, Yam Lam Lim, and Dometilo Acenas.

Those who voted against were councilors Lao and Roger Abaday.

Councilors Zaldy Ocon and  Lourdes Darimbang abstained.

Councilor Gan said the city council wants Bañez, Salazar and Elot to
explain how the Moreno administration has been spending city hall
funds from 2013 to 2014 because of “conflicting” reports sent to the
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the city council.

Councilor Abaday frowned over the resolution, saying the Moreno
administration has sought for a declaration of a state of calamity so
city hall could help farmers in need but what it received instead was
a resolution that seeks to grill the local government’s finance
managers.

Besides, Abaday said, an inquiry into city hall’s finances should be
done first in the committee level.

Lao said the resolution was a violation of the city council’s house rules.

“Ang among house rules nagsulti nga kon  dunay kagawad mageport, ang
iyang report ipasa sa committee ug dili sa plenary,” said Lao.

Lao said the resolution showed what the city council majority’s priority is.

“The priority should be the declaration of a state of calamity in 17
barangays because farmers are suffering. But their priority is their
politics,” Lao said.