An upset Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he may take legal action against the City Councilors who didn’t approve the P2.8-billion supplemental budget 1 (SB1).
“I am going to meet with my lawyers. I don’t want to be called a belligerent mayor but I will now be confronting any of them. I cannot afford as mayor, to let a few people jeopardize public welfare,” Rama told reporters yesterday.
The mayor’s office proposed P3.32-billion supplemental budget was reduced to P2.8 billion by the council.
The final version includes the P2.4-billion prepayment for the South Road Properties (SRP) loan, the P77 million for the Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) of all City Hall officials and employees and P87 million for the tipping fees o the city’s garbage.
Will he go to court?
“When we operate, we don’t have to tell,” he said.
Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, who heads the committee on budget and finance, moved to defer the approval of the SB1. She said they should wait for the court to resolve the complaint filed by Romulo Torres against the City Council. Torres asked the court to stop the city government from spending the proceeds from the sale of two SRP lots.
Osmeña said themayor can look for other fund sources especially for “absolutely urgent and necessary” expenses.