Friday, December 15, 2006 Talisay councilors strip Soc of blanket authority to negotiate
MAYOR Socrates “Soc” Fernandez is no longer authorized to represent the Talisay City Government and sign contracts with private entities without the City Council’s consent.
In its session yesterday, the City Council approved a proposal authored by Councilor Richel Bacaltos repealing resolution 2004-19 that empowered Fernandez to sign contracts and memoranda of agreement with private firms on behalf of the City.
The City Council approved the old resolution as a gesture of support for Fernandez when he became mayor in 2004.
The newly approved measure, though, cited Section 8 of Republic Act 8979, the Talisay City Charter, in relation to Section 444 of the new Local Government Code, which gives the city mayor the signing authority in all contracts with other agencies.
Case to case
However, it stated that the authority will only be granted to Fernandez on a case-to-case basis, “so that the Sangguniang Panglungsod can have sufficient time to evaluate the feasibility of the said contracts.”
By rescinding the mayor’s authority, any proposed contact or agreement must be first submitted to the council for deliberation and appropriate recommendation.
Fernandez does not see anything wrong with the council’s decision, saying that it has nothing to do with politics and is meant only to protect him and the City Government.
“They freely gave it to me, then they can willfully get it. I have no objection or ill feeling because I believe that they have valid reasons in withdrawing it. That is my understanding,” he said.
But independent Councilor Alan Bucao said the approval of the resolution amounted to severing the majority bloc’s political ties with Fernandez.
“Why only now when the elections are only months away. It only proves that something is cooking,” Bucao earlier said.
The approval of the resolution came as talks surfaced that Didi Gullas, the son of former mayor now Rep. Eduardo Gullas, will run for mayor in Talisay City.
Didi will reportedly either pick Fernandez or Vice Mayor Aberdovey Belleza as his running mate.
Rumors
According to other rumors, Belleza, who ran and won as an independent candidate in the 2004 elections, will also run for the City’s top elective post.
“If the Gullas-Belleza tandem pushes through, I will be campaigning heartily for them,” said Fernan-dez, who also expressed dislike on the idea of him running as a Provincial Board candidate in the first district instead of seeking reelection. (GC)
