BACOLOD City Acting Mayor El Cid Familiaran slammed former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson on Wednesday, January 23, for criticizing him as a presiding officer of the City Council.

“Wala ko bala ga pa alam-alam. Just do your political campaign, present your programs for the people of Bacolod,” Familiaran said.

Sayson, who is seeking the vice mayoral post under the Asenso para sa Buas-damlag sang Bacolodnon- Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan (ABB-MKK) political group, earlier said that as a former presiding officer, he doesn’t believe that the P1.7 billion loan will be approved immediately.

“I’m telling the current presiding officer that he should maintain the equality among branches of government which is the legislative and executive,” he said.

On January 18, Sayson along with former councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, and businessman Antonio Wong filed a civil case against Familiaran, Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Councilors Caesar Distrito, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Em Ang, Elmer Sy, Ana Marie Palermo, Dindo Ramos, Bartolome Orola, Sonya Verdeflor, Lady Gles Gonzales-Pallen, and Ayesha Joy Villaflor; City Council Secretary Vicente Petierre III; City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhe; City Budget Officer Maria Imelda Williams; City Accountant Corazon Cardel; DBP Negros Occidental Lending Center head Bernardo Catillion Jr.

“I am even more independent than him (Sayson). I was councilor when he was vice mayor and I even run as an independent candidate. Check the record at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council), there were several issues where I am the only one signified a vote of ‘no.’ Twelve years na sila bala updanay ni Mayor Bing and all praises na siya, compared sa akon nga two years and six months pa lang with Mayor Bing,” Familiaran said.

He said all the rules inside the session hall have been followed, but there were also times that the rules have been suspended.

“All the councilors were also given enough time to express and share their sentiments,” he added. (MAP)