Layese: Mandaue City Council’s revamp will be implemented

THERE might be no stopping the implementation of the reorganization of some standing regular committees of Mandaue City Council despite Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna’s statement that the passed resolution was wrong and “out of order.”

City Councilor Nenita Ceniza-Layese, who belongs to the majority and opposition bloc of the City Council, said that the City Council passed Resolution 181-2018 or the reconstituting of the composition of some standing regular committees of sanggunian during last Thursday’s special session.

Layese, a lawyer, said the resolution was “duly adopted by the majority members” of the city council, despite Vice Mayor Carlo Pontico Fortuna, the presiding officer, declaring the resolution as “out of order.”

Members of the majority bloc included Councilors Layese, Carmelino Del Mar Jr., Ernie Manatad, Malcolm Sanchez, Dallie Mae Cabatingan, Marie Immaline Cortes-Zafra and Cynthia Cinco-Remedio, passed the resolution after Fortuna declared the session adjourned and walked out together with five other administration-allied councilors.

Layese dismissed Fortuna’s earlier assertions that the resolution was wrong as the City Council could not constitute a revamp unless the position would be vacant.

“Who decides it was (a) wrong resolution? It must be voted by the sanggunian whether it’s wrong or not. He (Fortuna) only presides. He should not decide,” said Layese as she reacted on Fortuna’s statement.

But Fortuna said the presiding officer had the power “to rule and decide on every motion or resolution presented on the floor.”

“Perhaps Councilor Layese, who is a lawyer, is not knowledgeable and familiar about the powers and functions of the presiding officer under the rules of parliamentary procedure,” Fortuna said.

He said that it was his duty to ensure that any matter presented to the floor would be in accordance with the house rules and the law.

If the majority would insist on implementing the reorganization, Fortuna said, residents in Mandaue City would suffer.

“Then that is mob rule of the opposition and the Mandauehanons will suffer. The opposition are solely motivated by politics with a purpose to obstruct the programs of Mayor Quisumbing,” Fortuna said.

If the revamp will be implemented, Councilor Raul Kevin Cabahug V., a Fortuna and an administration ally, would lose his chairmanship of the committees on environmental protection; social service; and women and family; and as vice chairman of the committee on laws and ordinances.