Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III yesterday said he will call in Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. delos Reyes and the members of the City
Talisay City councilors including former mayor Socrates Fernandez (3rd from left) smile as they leave the conference room of Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III (rightmost). (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Council to a meeting in a bid to end their squabble and resolve the budget impasse.
Davide said he decided to call a mediation meeting after he met with the city’s legislators yesterday.
“I am not sure whether this is (the perfect solution) but it’s better that we start something. It’s just the first step,” the governor said.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, Provincial Board (PB) member and budget committee chairperson Grecilda Sanchez-Zaballero and PB member Peter John Calderon attended the meeting with Talisay City Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante and seven councilors.
Also in attendance were Councilors Socrates Fernandez, Edward Alesna, Antonio Bacaltos, Doroteo Emit, Danilo Caballero, and ex-officio member Raul Cabañero representing the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC).
“For me, it is for the best that they resolve their conflict,” Davide said.
The governor said he is saddened by the fact that his allies in the Liberal Party (LP) are involved in the conflict.
Deep-rooted
Mayor De los Reyes, Vice Mayor Villarante, and Councilors Caballero and Aldin Diaz–who was not in the meeting—are all Davide’s allies in the Liberal Party.
“I am convinced that (the mayor and the council) both have one goal in mind, and that is to serve the people of Talisay. It just so happens that they have some deep-rooted issues between them,” the governor said.
Magpale said she and PB member Sanchez will also attend the meeting to present the council’s arguments.
Fiscalize
Villarante clarified to the governor that the budget cut covered certain items and won’t affect Talisay City Hall’s operations.
Villarante said the budget cuts covered lump-sum appropriations for new positions, other maintenance and operating expenses, the mayor’s intelligence fund and repair of vehicles.
Magpale said the council made it very clear that they cut these budget items to “fiscalize the mayor.”
The vice governor said she is optimistic that the PB can make Mayor delos Reyes understand the rationale behind these budget cuts. The vice governor said she is hoping that both parties will be able to meet halfway.
Villarante said it should have been the mayor who convened the council.
“Being the father of the city, he is the leader. He should have made the first move. But that has never happened since October,” he said. The vice mayor said the governor’s initiative will impact on the Talisay City government. “Our commitment in the council is to do what is right. We will not let politics get in the way,” he said.