DAVAO City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte expressed disappointment over the decision of Councilor Wendel Avisado to accept the position offered by Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Avisado announced on August 24 his resignation as City Councilor in accepting his appointment as the deputy secretary general of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
President Benigno Aquino III appointed him to the position on August 17 through the recommendation of Binay, who chairs the HUDCC.
Duterte, who appointed Avisado as city administrator in his years of service as city mayor, said "Avisado turned his back on his promise to the people."
"Ug mudagan ka (when you run) for a public office, there is a direct promise to the people that you will serve them if you win. Ug madaog ka musilbi ka sa tao. This is what happened to Wendel," he said.
"Wendel do not be offended, iyang gibiyaan na nga iyang panumpa nga musilbi siya sa taong lungsod kay gidawat man niya ang iyang pagka-assistant secretary sa opisina ni Binay (he left that vow to serve the people of the city because he accepted the position as assistant secretary in the office of Binay)," Duterte said in his television program Sunday.
Duterte, however, said he cannot answer for Avisado on under what reasons the latter made the said decision.
"It's up to Wendel now to explain to the people ug nganong iya nang gibuhat (why he did that) I cannot answer for him (on whether he could still serve the city or not as HUDCC official). Iya nang banko dili ako (It's his chair not mine)" Duterte said.
Duterte added that he would want that Avisado explain it himself on the next episode of the said show.
"You tell the people why you decided to leave the City Council," Duterte said. Avisado received the most votes during the May 10 elections as councilor for the first district. Avisado had a clear lead from other candidates with his 118,094 votes.
Avisado, who is under Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas-Bayan (PDP-Laban), said his resignation will take effect on September 1 upon his assumption as HUDCC official.
He also said, after his announcement during the council session, that his political party will endorse soon a name to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and to President Aquino to approve as his replacement.
Meanwhile, City Council Floor Leader Emmanuel Galicia said Monday it is an "unwritten rule" that an official who vacates his office should give a recommendation to the city mayor.
During Kapihan sa PIA media forum, Galicia confirmed earlier statement from DILG Regional Director Quirino Libunao that it is up to the vacating official's party to recommend for his replacement. Galicia also said official should first pass a recommendation to the city mayor being the city is a chartered city.
"Gikan gyud dapat sa iyang party, sa PDP-Laban, nga party ang mupuli sa iyaha. Sa una pwede pa tong ang asawa ang mupuli pero karon ang pwede is gikan sa party. Ang party dapat musubmit usa ug recommendation sa city mayor. Approbahan sa mayor and then sa Presidente. (The one who would replace should be from the party, from PDP-Laban. Before it was allowed that the wife replaced the one who vacates but now it should be from the party. This should be passed by the party to the city mayor. This is approved by the mayor and then by the President)," Galicia said.
Galicia concurred that provisions on the Local Government Code of 1991 or "Permanent vacancies in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council)" does not detail whether a city mayor has the power to deny a recommendation from a vacating official.
"Wala na. Ang ano is kinanglan mag-istorya gyud usa ang mayor ug ang side ni Avisado (That's not included. It should be that the city mayor and Avisado's side should talk first)," Galicia said. (Jade C. Zaldivar)