2 PB Members see need to include Davide in deliberations

Vice Governor Hilario Davide III

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Members of the 15th Sangguniang Panlalawigan may decide to later on amend provisions of their Internal Rules of Procedure (IRP) to allow Vice Governor Hilario Davide III to take part in their deliberations.

Existing provisions of the IRP prohibits Davide from doing such.

“The Vice Governor, as Chairman and Presiding Officer, cannot take part in the deliberation of the Body except only as to preside over the Body and to vote in case of a tie. As Vice Governor, he cannot step down and vacate his position as Chairman and Presiding Officer for purposes of sponsoring a resolution or ordinance nor for participating in the deliberation of a resolution, ordinance or any other related official business or matter of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan,” says paragraph B of Section 1, Rule 2 of the IRP.

Read more: Bacaltos says existing IRP is unfair; calls for letting Davide talk in deliberations

Cebu fourth district Board Member Horacio Paul Franco said the said provision f the IRP may have been “harshly worded.”

“What came out in that particular section was that Vice Gov Junjun is di jud ka-istorya. Which is pwede man siya makaistorya … The way lang that it was written, Vice Gov Junjun was not comfortable with that so we’ll amend it lang,” Franco told CDN Digital.

“It is so strong ba nga he (Davide) cannot take part in the deliberation. It came out man gud nga he cannot speak and period… We’ll tweak it,” he added.

Read more: Vice Gov. Davide on first 100 days: My functions have been limited to banging the gavel

During their December 2 session, first district Board Member Raul Bacaltos filed a resolution that seeks to amend the IRP to allow Davide to participate in their deliberations.

Bacaltos said it was unfair for the Vice Governor, who is supposed to the leader of the SP, to be “muted.”

The revision that Bacaltos is proposing will allow Davide to participate in the deliberations after he relinquishes his seat to a PB member if there was a need for him to lead a discussion on a measure that he is proposing.

Bacaltos’ resolution has been referred to the Committee on Laws and Review on Ordinances through its vice chairperson for review. Bacaltos chairs the committee. / dcb