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Wednesday, July 09, 2003
PB to mayor: Transfer Balingoan town account
By Stephen Capillas
THE Misamis Oriental Provincial Board (PB) last Monday decided to first let the courts settle the leadership crisis in Balingoan town, Misamis Oriental before taking action on the incident.
This came about after Balingoan Mayor Edgar Santos appeared before the board during their regular session Monday appealing to them to address the problem.
Santos earlier secured verdicts from the Supreme Court and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declaring him as the winner in the last elections.
However, Panulaya through his lawyers had filed a motion for reconsideration before the High Tribunal.
Despite this, former mayor Pedro Panulaya is still holding office with his followers surrounding the municipal hall.
During the session, Santos said the Land Bank branch where the municipality's account is placed refused to honor his signature even with the recent rulings.
Santos recounted that in a meeting with the Land Bank manager late last month he asked why the branch didn't honor his signature on vouchers and financial documents that would have released the salaries of the municipal workers.
They have not been paid for the last three months, Santos said. He said the manager told him that he has orders from the central office not to release the funds.
Santos said this is contrary to the earlier proclaimation by the Land Bank management that they would honor his signature in any fund release.
Because of this, the Balingoan mayor said he was unable to implement any projects in the municipality, let alone sit in the municipal mayor's office due to Panulaya's presence. Any other projects have been put on hold, he said.
Santos later said while the situation has remained peaceful so far the residents there are confused on who is actually their mayor. He said they are clamoring for a stable municipal government.
"That's why I am asking you the Provincial Board (PB) to do your responsibility and resolve this problem. As much as possible I want to see a peaceful resolution to the problem, to have Panulaya step down without any (violence)," Santos told PB members.
In response, PB Member Alejo Olano suggested that the board file a resolution before the Supreme Court asking that it issue a ruling on the motion as soon as possible.
However, PB member Oscar Musni cautioned against the move saying the Supreme Court doesn't look kindly on this. "This may be misconstrued as a political move or favor and the High Tribunal doesn't look kindly on these things," he said.
PB member Franklin Bade agreed saying the case should be allowed due course in the Supreme Court.
"The resolution may be perceived as having political hues and the matter is out of our jurisdiction so it's best that the Supreme Court decide on this and let the regional courts implement the decision," he said.
For his part, Misamis Oriental Vice Gov. Miguel de Jesus said the PB should be careful in handling the situation.
"There is a separation of departments and the case is lodged in the courts. However this doesn't preclude us from taking a different action on the matter," he said.
The different action came in the form of a proposal by PB member Noel Guibone that Santos ask their Sangguniang Bayan or municipal hall to transfer the municipality's account to another authorized bank.
"That way the municipal workers and the residents won't have to suffer from neglect in the delivery of services to them while the crisis is still ongoing," Guibone said.
(July 9, 2003 issue)
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