FORMER Cagayan de Oro City Councilor Alexander Dacer is urging the City Interior Department to shed light over the delay in the conduct of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation elections in the city.
Dacer, an ally of the Padayon Pilipino Party led by erstwhile city mayor Vicente Emano, on Thursday, June 7, sent a letter to the city Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) office to seek clarifications.
In his letter, Dacer stressed that the election for the SK federation for cities shall be held within 15 days after the SK polls based on the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015 (RA 10742).
Dacer said majority of the SK chairpersons-elect have petitioned for the immediate conduct of the SK federation elections.
"The said law has not provided any reason to allow for possible delay thereof," Dacer said.
Dacer also wants the city local government operations officer Jane Docallos to answer why SK chairmen were forced to take their oath of office before Mayor Oscar Moreno when most of them were already sworn into office by Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Emano.
"What is your basis of claiming that such oath taking is improper?" Dacer asked in his letter addressed to Docallos.
The former local lawmaker also questioned why the elected youth leaders are compelled to undergo another SK federation orientation when they have already undergone the mandatory SK training last May 21 to 26.
Dacer said he received reports from the newly elected SK chiefs that they were made to pay P3,500 as registration fee for the supposed live-in SK orientation a day before the scheduled SK federation polls in June 13.
"I hope you can clarify these issues to erase any doubt of maneuvering to influence the results of the SK federation elections," part of Dacer's letter reads.
Docallos explained that the mass oath taking last Thursday is part of the design of the SK mandatory training called by the DILG.
"The mayor is the symbol of authority of the Republic of the Philippines in the city and the barangays belong to the city that is why the mayor administered the oath of office," Docallos said.
Docallos also clarified that the deadline for the SK federation elections for highly urbanized cities is until June 13 based on the guidelines issued by the DILG-central office.
She emphasized that it is not only an election but also an orientation for all SK chairpersons and the P3,500 registration is for the two-day activity.
Docallos said the live-in activity is purely managed by the DILG and no other personalities even politicians can intervene.