Forward motion: Delos Santos questions Labella

SAYING it was out of order, Cebu City Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos said that Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella should not have heard the privilege motion that was made when the council deliberated on authorizing Mayor Tomas Osmeña to sign an P18-billion deal.

In a privilege speech on Tuesday, Delos Santos said that Labella violated the Council’s house rules.

During the May 8 session of the Council, Councilor Raymond Garcia made a privilege motion to refer the amended joint venture agreement for the development of Kawit Island in the South Road Properties back to the ad hoc committee.

There was a prior motion by Councilor Eugenio Gabuya Jr. to approve his resolution authorizing the mayor to sign the deal with Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc.

A discussion followed Gabuya’s motion. Based on the council’s house rules, delos Santos said, Vice Mayor Labella should have put the motion to a vote.

Labella declared a recess and when the session resumed, Garcia made his move. Despite opposition from some councilors, the vice mayor, being the presiding officer, put the motion to a vote and brushed aside the earlier motion of Gabuya.

“Mr. Presiding Officer, what you did was both unprocedural and unjustified. Right before our eyes, you violated our own rules,” delos Santos said.

Section 5, Article 12 of the Council’s Rules of Procedure provides for a specific list of privilege motions, which only include a motion to adjourn, motion to recess, questions of privilege, and call to order.

In an interview, Councilor delos Santos said that the vice mayor should be fair to both majority and minority blocs, since he is the presiding officer.

For his part, Vice Mayor Labella said the matter went thorough discussion and motions made as a matter of privilege usually take precedence over the main motion.

“There was order in the discussion. There is really no hard and fast rule when it comes to parliamentary procedure. The main purpose of the parliamentary procedure is to see to it that there is harmony and it was carried out, and if there is any question, they should have appeal to the decision, which requires a two-thirds vote,” Labella said.

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