Laika Tampus, Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson of Barangay Pusok, gives her side of the allegations thrown at her from seven SK officials who have tendered their resignation during a press briefing at her office. | Futch Anthony Inso
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairperson of Barangay Pusok in Lapu-Lapu City has broken her silence on the issue regarding the resignation early this month of her seven SK councilors, SK treasurer and SK secretary.
Laika Tampus, who is also the SK Federation president in Lapu-Lapu City and an ex-officio member of the city council, said that she decided to issue a statement, to defend herself on the allegations against her by her fellow SK officials in Barangay Pusok.
Read: Pusok SK councilors submit resignation letter to Mayor Chan
Earlier, her fellow SK officials have questioned her leadership, since they have not implemented any projects for the youth in their barangay, and due to lack of communication, which prompted them to resign from their posts.
Tampus, however, explained that they were not able to implement any projects last year, because their budget had not been transferred yet to their own SK bank account.
She said that in 2020, they had a fund of P2.7 million, while for this year, it amounted to P3.2 million. The amount was deposited at the Barangay’s Treasury.
Although Tampus said that they could use their budget even if it was deposited at the Barangay’s Treasury, but the barangay captain of Pusok wants the fund to be transferred to their account, and would not approve any of their financial requests.
Despite this, Tampus said that they had implemented some programs last year using her own money.
“I dont know if unsa gyud ang ilang meaning sa ineffective nga leadership. Sa ila pong reason nga gi-state kay kanang, as what DILG pod have told them, mabaw ra gyud siya for them to resign,” Tampus said.
(I don’t know what they meant by ineffective leadership. The reason they stated, as what the DILG told them, was really not that too big a thing for them to resign.)
Read: Lapu DILG to seek guidance of reg’l office re resigned SK councilors
She also said that in 2019, her fellow SK officials have also filed a complaint against her in the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and urged her to step down from her post.
She, however, said that they were able to settle that complaint.
Even if Tampus did not directly state that the issue was politically motivated, but she admitted that her relationship with her fellow SK officials had grown cold, after she showed her support to the administration of Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan.
She admitted that during the last SK elections, she was a supporter of the Radazas, along with the seven elected SK councilors in Barangay Pusok.
“I don’t know if there has been any political backing-up. I don’t know. That I cannot answer,” she added.
On Friday, March 19, 2021, she said that she had a dialogue with her fellow SK officials and that two SK councilors have retracted from their decision to resign from their posts.
/dbs
Read: All 7 SK councilors of Barangay Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City resign