INCOMING Provincial Board (PB) Member Enrique "Goding" Lacson of the 5th District of Negros Occidental has yet to take his oath of office.
Observers are keeping tabs of the looming "tiff" between Lacson and Vice Governor Emilio Yulo III, as the latter continues to resist turning over to Lacson the influential education committee he is currently holding.
Lacson was nominated by Kampi provincial head Representative Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo Jr. to replace Yulo. Yulo was elevated to the vice governor last March, following the death of governor Joseph Marañon.
During his incumbency as board member for the 5th District, Yulo held the two most influential committees -- education, culture and arts; and laws, ordinances and good government.
As chairman of the committee on education, culture and arts, Yulo has reportedly created "political clout" among public and private school teachers all over the province.
Now that he is the vice governor, Yulo reportedly does not want to turn over the education committee to his incoming successor.
He, however, already turned over his chairmanship of the committee on laws, ordinance and good government to Provincial Board Member Edgardo Acuña.
The education committee is among the PB's "richest" committees as the province invests heavily on several educational reform programs.
The Provincial School Board also has a 10 percent share from the province's Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share.
In an earlier interview, Yulo told Capitol reporters that he won't give up the education committee. He refused to say why.
Instead, he said they will hold a caucus first and talk matters of either creating extra-committee for Lacson.
He stressed that being the vice governor and presiding officer and, at the same time, chairman of the education committee, is not a violation of the existing internal rules of the PB.
"It also has no legal impediments," Yulo clarified.
Lacson cannot be reached for comment as of press time.
Governor Isidro Zayco, meanwhile, said he doesn't want to interfere on the looming Yulo-Lacson "tiff."
"I don't want to intervene on the issue of the PB. But as far as I know, talks are still on process about this," he told Sun.Star Bacolod over the phone Thursday night, adding the issue could be resolved if and when Lacson officially takes his oath and assumes the post.
"There's no finality yet on this matter," he added.
As what had been practiced in the past, vice governors -- like former governor Romeo Gamboa and now Governor Zayco -- did not hold any committee during their incumbency.
"But in other provinces, some vice governors (also) handle committees," he added as he urged the media not to 'inflate' the issue. (Erwin Ambo Delilan)
