Oro mayor ready to be suspended

Monday, January 23, 2012

CAGAYAN DE ORO -- Cagayan de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano just laughed off rumors about his suspension and said he is ready if he would indeed be suspended.

It was earlier reported that Emano will be meted with a 90-day suspension allegedly because of his negligence in last month’s flash floods brought by Tropical Storm Sendong that claimed thousands of lives and damaged millions of properties in the city.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

“I can be suspended by the higher authority and there’s nothing that I can do about it. But if this is going to happen, then I will be the last ‘Sendong’ victim,” Emano said Sunday on his radio program.

Emano said he will seek redress, citing he must be given the chance to defend himself of the accusations.

The Department of Interior and Local Government-Northern Mindanao office, however, earlier denied the suspension rumors, saying it has not received any order either from the office of the Ombudsman or from the Office of the President.

Emano also said he is not worried as he can leave the post to Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas. He added that Acenas, who earlier vowed to continue his programs in the city, “can do better than him”.

“But what have I done wrong why I should be suspended? Is it because thousands have died since I allowed them to reside in those areas?” he said.

He reiterated that the City Government was not really prepared when the flood hit the city.

“We were definitely prepared but kulang because we did not expect the extent of the flood waters and Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) never told us that we were the center of the eye of the storm. The people did not expect it,” Emano said.

Emano said instead of blaming him, concerned agencies should look into the continued cutting of trees in the mountains, which is reportedly the real cause of the flash floods last month.

The Save CDO Movement has been holding daily protests since January 14 to gather signatures for a recall election in Cagayan de Oro City.

The group said it needs to get at least 25 percent of the total number of voters in the last 2010 election, or about 45,000 signatures.

On January 13, the group said it already gathered at least 10,000 signatures in just one week.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, voters can seek for the removal of government officials by way of a recall election for “loss of confidence.”

Chapter 5, Section 70 (d) of Republic Act 7160 states that recall for any elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay official may also validly initiated upon petition of at least 25 percent of the total number of voters in the local government unit during election in which the local official sought to be recalled.

Emano advised the members of Save CDO Movement to continue with their signature campaign for a possible recall election.

“If they want, I can even help them to expedite it but on one condition, those who lose would never enter politics again. I know how many people have signed and many of them even went here (City Hall) crying, saying they were forced to sign something and that they don’t know what they are signing,” he said.

Tito Mora, spokesperson of Save CDO Movement, said they are still in the process of verifying the signatures.

He said a radio station in the city has been airing complaints from people alleging that the movement is paying them to sign while some are asking to be paid for them to sign.

“We are calling out these voters to come forward to erase their names if they have signed. We hold these signatures sacred. It is an act of courage of an empowered Kagay-anon,” he said. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)