Monday, September 24, 2007 Cortes takes back council’s service vehicle
DESPITE Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna’s denial of initiating a recall against him, Mayor Jonas Cortes didn’t waste any time in making counter-moves.
He ordered last Friday the recall of a vehicle with plate number SEZ 714 that is being used as a service car by the City Council.
The mayor told reporters that a memorandum receipt for the vehicle was issued to the council secretary without his approval.
Fortuna, who hoped that the recall of the vehicle was not part of the mayor’s retaliatory move, said the vehicle had been with the SP for nine years and he did not know the issuance did not have the mayor’s approval.
Cortes also issued a press statement yesterday calling the recall move another “legal gaffe” of Fortuna, a lawyer.
He said recall petitions are only allowed a year after the official subject to be removed from the post was elected.
“Open ko sa recall basta tanan mo-submit (I’m open to recall as long as all of us must submit to it),” the mayor said, referring to Fortuna and the City Council.
But Fortuna said he was misquoted in the report, which he said was based on leading questions.
“He (Cortes) should check the veracity of the news report before he makes the reaction,” Fortuna said.
Cortes said he immediately called Fortuna to ask about the news item (not Sun.Star Cebu’s).
Fortuna, who claimed he was surprised by the report, denied he made such a declaration.
The vice mayor also later said that he called the newspaper’s publisher to clarify his point and to deny the report. When pressed on how the reporter came up with such a news item, Fortuna alleged that the reporter had asked leading questions.
Fortuna said he did not make such statements and would not even threaten a recall.
He said that although he and Cortes differ in opinions, it does not mean they have to dislike each other.
“That is part of the dynamics of local governance,” Fortuna said.
Meanwhile, a source said the council’s service vehicle and another vehicle issued to the mayor’s office were assigned to the police department to address its mobility problem.
So far, four vehicles, coming from the various City Hall departments, were already assigned to the police.
These are in addition to the three vehicles that were recently refurbished. (OCP)
