ANGELES City mayoralty bet and Kambilan official candidate Alexander S. Cauguiran wants documentary proof of the legality of the city government’s P1.22-billion loan for various infrastructure projects.
Cauguiran formally sought proof that the ordinances and resolutions pertaining to the loan and its uses have been published as required by law.
In his letter dated November 19, 2018 and addressed to Vice-Mayor Bryan Nepomuceno, Cauguiran requested for “certified true copies” of the publication of the supplementary budget ordinance that appropriated P1 billion for the construction of a new city hall (P560 million), multi-level steel parking (P60 million), and sports complex (P380 million).
Cauguiran said Section 59 (d) of the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991 explicitly provides that: “In the case of highly urbanized and independent component cities, the main features of the ordinance or resolution duly enacted or adopted shall, in addition to being posted, be published once in a local newspaper of general circulation within the city: Provided, that in the absence thereof the ordinance or resolution shall be published in any newspaper of general circulation.” This requisite has been affirmed by the Supreme Court, he added.
He said he also requested for proof of the publication of the ordinance ratifying the terms and conditions of the loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines.
“Aside from the ordinances, I have also requested that the vice-mayor, who is the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, to furnish us authenticated documents proving that the resolutions on the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) concerning the loan have been published as required by law,” he said.
“In addition to proofs of publication, I have requested certified copies of the disbursement vouchers with corresponding check numbers and supporting documents, and official receipts issued by the publisher of the publication where the ordinances and resolutions were published,” he added.
Cauguiran said it was the second time that he wrote a formal letter to the vice-mayor concerning the loan.
The first was when he requested Nepomuceno and Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan to amend the original budget ordinance by appropriating P1 billion for the expansion and improvement of the Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA) and the City College of Angeles (CCA).
Cauguiran has argued that the construction of a new city hall, a multi-level parking, and sports center is not essential under the prevailing conditions while the Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA) had to refuse patients due to “lack of space, medicines and medical equipment,” particularly in cases of emergency.
“Improving our hospital is a matter of life and death to many ordinary residents, while constructing a new city hall is just a case of keeping up with the facilities of other urbanized cities,” he said.
“A city’s reputation rises or falls with the quality of its basic services, the most basic of which are health and education. Of what use is a new five-story city hall, when our hospital itself needs to be saved to be able to save lives? On the other hand, building more classrooms and improving the facilities at the City College of Angeles (CCA) is definitely more beneficial to our young residents who cannot afford to pursue their college studies in private schools,” added Cauguiran.
He said he has not received a reply to his first letter but he said the city officials must be aware of President Duterte’s Executive Order No. 2. Series of 2016 concerning full disclosure and transparency in public service.”