Friday, September 29, 2006 Editorial: Fracas in Tagum City
THERE'S A very political -- and personal -- issue which has stirred some political animals in the city of Tagum and threatening to disturb the political peace in the province, already rendered precarious due to the not-so ideal relationship between the provincial governor and the vice governor, despite their being both members of the same party, the ruling Lakas CMD (Christian Muslim Democracts).
They are quarreling over who should be appointed to fill in a vacancy in the Tagum City council.
Governor Gelacio Gementiza, Lakas-CMD provincial chairman, has appointed one Lani Maug to the vacancy. This is however being opposed by Lani's brother-in-law, Sultan Jimmy Maug, who was the one recommended by Victorio "Baby" Suaybaguio, Lakas-CMD Tagum chapter president, and nominated by House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr, Lakas president, to the post.
It is claimed that under the law -Local Government Code -either the governor or the mayor can appoint a replacement to a vacant seat in the council. But an appointee has to be nominated first by the local or national head of the political party in power. Jimmy Maug is contesting Lani's appointment because he was the one nominated not her to the post.
Now the question has to be elevated to the party's regional chair -- Secretary Rodolfo del Rosario -- to resolve the controversy and bring the issue up to the national level.
Necessarily too, the conflict will involve more people, chiefly Lakas vice president for Mindanao, Prospero Nograles, who has suggested this early to bring the matter to the national leadership of Lakas for immediate arbitration.
"We need to get accurate facts first then we decide," Nograles was quoted as saying.
Reports reaching Sun.Star Davao indicated that Jimmy is planning to file administrative complaint against Governor Gementiza for appointing Lani to the post. Earlier, Jimmy filed a civil case before the Tagum City Regional Trial Court asking for the annulment of Lani's appointment with application for preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order.
In his complaint, Jimmy charged that Lani's appointment is void and illegal since it was done without the nomination of the highest official of the political party to which the appointee belongs.
All this fuss, for what? Four to five remaining months of being in power as city councilor? What's in being councilor for a very short time that even close relatives would fight tooth and nail over it? The ordinary taxpayers would certainly want to know what the hullabaloo is all about.
