Suspended Mayor Mike Rama in his Backstage State of the City Address on July 4. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero
CEBU CITY, Philippines- Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez’s call for a meeting on July 19 has been criticized as a potential violation of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) constitution and by-laws.
At a press conference on July 19 via Zoom, suspended Cebu City Mayor and LCP president Michael Rama warned that the meeting could face legal issues.
Benitez had called for a Special National Executive Board Meeting to discuss urgent internal matters, but did not provide a detailed agenda, which is required for such meetings.
Lawyer Joselito Thomas Baena, representing Rama, noted that Rama had sent a letter to Benitez and board members upon receiving the advisory.
“In the said letter, Mayor Rama has expressed his opinion on the fact that the meeting, which is scheduled at 1 PM today, violates the ‘Notice Requirement’ specified in the constitution and by-laws of the League of Cities of the Philippines. Section 6 Article 9 of which provides that a Special National Executive Board Meeting may be called for by the National President or upon written request of the majority of the regular members as the need arises,” Baena stated on Friday.
Members were given only a two-day notice instead of the required 15 days, violating the LCP’s constitution and by-laws.
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“Notice of such meeting shall be sent at least 15 days before the scheduled date of (the) meeting specifying the time and place at which such meeting shall be held. Despite this provision, the meeting scheduled today was only called two days ago, July 17,” Baena added.
Baena noted that the upcoming meeting was based on a May 10, 2024 board resolution from the Negros Association of Chief Executives (Negros ACE), where Benitez is a member.
This resolution called for LCP officers to appoint Benitez to lead the league temporarily due to Rama’s alleged absence during his six-month suspension.
Rama has disputed this claim, stating he is not absent and is fully capable of performing his LCP duties. He clarified that his suspension is only for an administrative investigation and does not mean he is removed from his LCP position.
Baena also pointed out that most signatories of the resolution were municipal mayors, not LCP members, making the resolution legally ineffective and flawed.
Rama’s camp believes the advisory and meeting are political tactics to remove him as LCP President, arguing that the LCP’s constitution and by-laws require a specific process for removing a board member. /clorenciana