Malabon councilors resolve conflict

MALABON, Philippines – Malabon Vice Mayor Jeannie Sandoval has expressed hope that it would be business as usual for the city council after she reinstated the incumbent city council secretary whose removal had prevented the legislative body from conducting regular sessions in the past few months.

In a privilege speech she delivered last month during a city council session, Sandoval ordered the reinstatement of  Rommel Bernardo and directed him to “resume his functions as council secretary of the Sangguniang Panglungsod.”

The issue began when Sandoval, who ran against Mayor Antolin Oreta III’s party, appointed former councilor Ian Emmanuel Borja officer in charge of the Office of the City Council Secretariat on the same day that she and other elected government officials took their seats in the city government on July 1.

A number of councilors from Oreta’s party questioned the appointment, along with Bernardo, as they noted that Borja was neither a regular nor career employee which is a requirement for those appointed to positions exercising control over regular and career personnel such as the city council secretariat.

The issue dragged on until August, affecting the work of the council which was unable to work on legislative measures during that time. The council secretariat also noted that no bills had been filed with them as of late August. Borja eventually resigned from his post.

“I made this decision bearing in mind the important work of the council which should not be stalled by our simple disagreements,” Sandoval said.

It was only after Sandoval’s privilege speech that the council approved the appointment of the heads of its 16 committees.