PROVINCIAL Legal Officer Erwin Vergara urged mayors of six local government units (LGUs) to file charges against Department of Budget and Management (DBM) officials for not releasing their royalty shares.

Vergara said the DBM has not yet released the royalty shares intended for the LGUS despite the release order issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya.

Panagbenga 2009 blog

Vergara believed that DBM top officials abused their authority.

In a manifesto, city and municipal mayors in the country condemned the delay in the release of their royalty shares from the National Government.

The mayors also lambasted the Department of Finance (DOF) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), saying the delay is "slowly depriving us of our right to enjoy the fruits of our own natural resources."

Among those who signed the manifesto are Valencia Mayor Rodolfo Gonzalez Jr. of Negros Oriental, Sorsogon City Mayor Leovic Dioneda, Tiwi Mayor Jaime Villanueva of Albay, Kidapawan City Rodolfo Gantuangco, Kananga Mayor Elmer Codilla of Leyte, and Ormoc City Elmer Codilla.

Governors Emilio C. Macias II of Negros Oriental, Sally Ante-Lee of Sorsogon and Jericho Petilla of Leyte also signed the manifesto, appealing for the immediate release of their royalty shares.

According to the city and municipal officials, the royalty shares are part of the LGU's lifeblood aside from its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) and internal collections from business taxes and other locally imposed taxes, fees and charges. They said, the shares "go directly to the less fortunate constituents in the form of power subsidy, to alleviate their conditions against the rising cost of electricity and other source of energy."

They likewise appealed to Arroyo to immediately solve the impasse and hold said agencies answerable.

Valencia Information Officer Des Tilos said the mayors and governors earlier sought audience with the President in Malacañang sometime in February, this year.

Tilos said that in that meeting, the President ordered the budget department to release the royalty shares to the LGUs, but this has not transpired until now.