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Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Council word war stops for one-week fest
By Aurea A. Gerundio
DAVAO CITY -- Councilors were at their best behavior during the City Council session Tuesday, tackling only the supplemental budget.
The attempt to question the adjournment of last week's session by Councilor Victorio S. Advincula during the privilege hour was even ignored and was not seconded.
This is contrary to an earlier promise by City Councilor Diosdado A. Mahipus Sr. who vowed to expose more anomalies in Tuesday's session.
The reason for the seeming peace? The Kadayawan Festival and the thousands of visitors in town who want to see Davao City, which has been touted as a city of bounty and peace.
The sight of councilors accusing each other of graft and corrupt practices after all is not something tourists would love to see.
The call for the "ceasefire" was first made by majority floor leader Emmanuel Galicia Sr. last week soon after Mahipus vowed to continue with his exposes.
Galicia, who was elected new City Council majority floor leader last week, said the bickering among council members do not speak well of the city, and the accusations and counter-accusations thrown around among them are getting worse.
"I hope they end all these bickering because there will be a lot of visitors coming for the Kadayawan celebration. It's not good for the visitors to see the council in such a state," Galicia said last week.
Galicia said he welcomes an independent investigating body to probe allegations that some council members are allegedly involved in anomalies.
Mahipus was later quoted by another newspaper as saying that they are declaring a "ceasefire" for Kadayawan and hope that the majority bloc in the council will do the same.
On Tuesday during the privilege hour, Councilor Advincula questioned the adjournment of the session last week saying the move to do so was not even duly seconded.
But the matter was not debated for long as the City Council secretariat read from the minutes of that session that as soon as Councilor Jesus Zozobrado moved for the adjournment, Councilor Bonifacio E. Militar raised his hand and seconded the adjournment, contrary to Advincula's claim.
As the session went on, Militar also declared a motion to consider all items for first reading approved and referred to the committee that should handle the matter.
Militar believes the enumeration of items under first reading is just a waste of time.
"The enumeration of the items under first reading already consumes much time. Sayang ang oras," Militar said. His motion was approved. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(August 17, 2005 issue)
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