Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Councilor not keen on case amid threat from colleague
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- An administration councilor said he has no plans of elevating the case of a near fistfight in last Monday's session to the City Council committee on ethics.
Councilor Edgar Cabanlas Tuesday apologized to the public for his near fistfight with Councilor Zaldy Ocon during Monday's special session.
The two councilors engaged in a heated exchange of words culminating with Ocon allegedly threatening to break Cabanlas's bones.
"Unsay pagtuo niya nako silhig (What does he think of me, a broom)?" Cabanlas said in a radio interview.
The spat erupted during the ensuing discussion of the resolution proposed by Ocon seeking to declare Mayor Vicente Emano "persona-non-grata" or unacceptable to the public and to the city.
Ocon, brandishing a copy of the 1987 Constitution and holding in his hands several Republic Acts, enumerated in a special report alleged skullduggeries of Emano and his administration.
He specifically cited Emano's controversial orders, including the non-issuance of City Hall documents without his prior approval and lately, the need for the mayor's approval on attendance of employees in meetings or inquiries in any branch of the local government.
Defending the administration, Cabanlas described Ocon's report a "political speech," tainted with "political color," a charge Ocon vehemently denied even as he told Cabanlas not to engage in politicking himself.
An agitated Cabanlas responded that he respected Ocon's opinion, and insisted that his views, too, must be respected by the opposition councilor.
Ocon then questioned Cabanlas's integrity, saying he along with several councilors allegedly misled a court on the real status of the Cogon market re-development project. Ocon said this resulted in their getting fined P20,000 each.
During his program "Koskos Batikos" at radio dxCC-RMN, Ocon insisted that Cabanlas threatened him first.
"Dili nako siya sibugan basta sa gawas lang sa konseho (I won't back down from him so long as it's outside the council)," said Ocon.
Cabanlas said Ocon's criticism is now getting personal and its motivated by politicking. (Danilo V. Adorador III/With a report from Sun.Star SuperBalita)
(September 13, 2006 issue)
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