City Council postpones discussion on SRP cases

They may already have the majority in the City Council, but the Bando Osmena Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña still lack in numbers to sustain a call for the division of the house.

With this, opposition Councilors under Barug Team Rama -PDP Laban managed to block a plan by BOPK allies to pass a resolution to formally request Mayor Osmeña to negotiate or settle “any and all pertinent cases” involving the South Road Properties (SRP) in this afternoon’s council session.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, a BOPK ally, will have to wait for their next session before he could introduce his proposed resolution to the legislative body.

His attempt to do so today, only resulted to a heated debate which lasted for around 30 minutes.

Left with no other choice, Tumulak yielded to the objections and discussions raised by the opposition group.

Tumulak’s resolution was not listed on the agenda of the Council’s Tuesday afternoon session.

Administration Councilors called for a suspension of the house rules so Tumulak can introduce his proposed measure to the body for discussion.

But Barug Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera objected.

“This particular resolution should be included in the agenda as provided in the house rules that contracts and memos and the like (should be included in the calendar for discussion). In the proposed resolution of Tumulak, it provided for an authority into a compromising agreement which is a form of a contract,” Pesquera said during the deliberation.

Opposition Councilor Eduardo Rama Jr. suggested for Tumulak to submit his proposed resolution to the City Council Secretariat for inclusion in agenda in their future sessions.

Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, the council’s presiding officer, moved to divide the house in order to vote on whether or not to the Council should suspend their house rules.

All of the 10 BOPK Councilors, including Tumulak, voted for the suspension of the house rules. The five Barug Councilors who were present in this afternoon’s session voted against it.

But while BOPK now has the majority at the City Council, Sanguniang Panglungsod Secretary Roy Alix said that the administration group fell short of the required number of votes.

He said that any votation would require a majority vote which is “2/3 votes of the all members (present) in the council.”

Alix said that in order win in votation, BOPK Councilors should get 12 votes to their favor.