Another Rama aide cut out

ANOTHER contract of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s consultant was not renewed by the City Council.

During their regular session yesterday, the City Hall’s legislative body decided not to renew the consultancy services of former city councilor Edwin Jagmoc from July to December.

Jagmoc is Rama’s consultant for the City Government’s Department of Public Services (DPS) and is receiving P18,000 monthly.

It was Councilor Lea Japson who objected to the passage of Councilor Edgardo Labella’s resolution covering the renewal of Jagmoc’s consultancy services.

“May I remind everybody that we have a standing agreement in the council that consultancy contracts should be submitted to us for approval within three months.

Nilapas na man ni,” she said.

Labella said he only received the consultancy contract of Jagmoc recently.

Councilor Ronald Cuenco then said that if Jagmoc was able to submit his accomplishment report for his January to June services, it would be unfair to cut his services because of the council’s standing policy.

“It would be quite unfair because he had helped the City,” he said.

Requirement

Labella, who is the proponent of the resolution, said Jagmoc was able to comply with all the requirements needed for the renewal of his services, including the submission of an accomplishment report.

However, since there was an objection from Japson, Councilor Sisinio Andales then moved to divide the house.

Out of the 11 councilors present during the session yesterday, only Labella and Cuenco voted for the renewal of Jagmoc’s consultancy.

Absent during the session, which was presided by Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., were Councilors Eduardo Rama Jr., Rodrigo Abellanosa, Margarita Osmeña, Raul Alcoseba and John Philip Po II. Councilor Jose Daluz III was not able to participate during the voting since he arrived at the later part of the session.

Cut off

Last week, the council, in 12-4 vote, also did not renew the contract of Antonio Avila, who is the mayor’s consultant on broadcast and media affairs.

In an interview yesterday, Jagmoc said the non-renewal of his consultancy is “pure politics,” considering that he is running for city councilor under the Team Rama for the 2013 elections.

Jagmoc explained that he submitted his consultancy contract last August yet to Councilor Noel Wenceslao. However, Jagmoc said Wenceslao did not act on it, prompting him to ask Labella instead to sponsor a resolution for him.

Labella, in a separate interview, said he can no longer do anything about the non-renewal of Jagmoc’s consultancy.

“That’s the reality of politics,” he said.