SOME Cebu City councilors yesterday questioned an executive order (EO) which was signed by both Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella and City Administrator Lucelle Mercado.
The executive order establishes the office for the implementation of the Sustainable Poverty-reduction and Economic Alleviation and Development (SPREAD) program for better life.
It was signed by Labella but on the lower left portion after his name, Mercado also signed with the words “By the Acting Mayor” before her name, signature and designation as city administrator.
Councilor Margarita Osmeña asked Mercado to submit to the council an explanation.
In a separate interview, Mercado said she was surprised by the councilors’ questions because executive orders have been done this way since the ’90s.
“It says ‘by the acting city mayor.’ It’s just like I’m a witness to it. And besides, it states my designation as city administrator. How can I be signing in behalf of the city mayor? That’s being ignorant,” Mercado said.
She said she is tasked to send original copies of the EO to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which forwards these to the Office of the President for approval.