Video by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net
Local government units should have autonomy in spending their funds to provide better services to their constituents, a mayor said on Saturday.
Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili raised this concern during the visit of Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II in Batangas on Friday to distribute brand new patrol jeeps to its 31 municipalities.
“Bakit bago kami makabili ng sasakyan para sa aming bayan na ang gagastusin naman namin ay pondo ng bayan ay kailangan pa ng approval ng national government eh hindi naman national fund ’yung gagamitin namin,” Halili said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990AM.
He said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) had released a memorandum circular, which required LGUs to seek approval from the national government before spending their own funds.
“Is it necessary for us to ask permission from the DILG before we can purchase?” the mayor said.
Halili, however, quoted Roxas as saying the circular was just “routinary.”
“Nasa regulasyon ho iyan ng COA (Commission on Audit) at ng local government code,” Roxas said in response to Halili, a video of which was posted on the official Facebook page of Tanauan City.
“Hindi naman namin ito ginagamit dahil gusto namin kayong pahirapan. Sumusunod lamang kami sa alituntunin,” the secretary said.
“I would just recommend that you go through the process,” he added.
Petty crimes
Halili also raised the crime status of Tanauan City and its need to augment its security system during his meeting with Roxas and other local officials of Batangas.
He said the city government would like to augment its police security through its civil security units to curb criminality but the Philippine National Police had not approved their request to purchase guns.
But Roxas said the PNP did not just issue guns.
“Ang mahalaga dito ay sino ba sila na pagkakalooban nating baril? Ano ang chain of command nito? Ito ay susunod sa chief of police?” Roxas said.
The interior secretary said the issue in Tanauan was not an “internal security operation” but mere “petty criminality.”
This did not sit well with Halili.
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In an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM, Halili expressed his dismay that Roxas viewed the criminal activities in Tanauan as “petty.”
He said that although criminality in Tanauan had been reduced, augmentation in the city’s police security would be of great help.
The mayor said Tanauan used to purchase guns owned by the city government and the PNP but could no longer do so.
Roxas replied, saying, “Pinalitan po natin ’yan. Kung di niyo gusto ang patakaran na ’yun, hindi ako ang tao niyo.”
“Kung augmentation ang kailangan, I don’t think baril ang kailangan, radyo, ’yung tao, ’yung presensya, ’yun ang kailangan,” he said.
2016 support
Asked if he would support Roxas should he run as president in 2016, Halili said he had not yet decided whom to support.
“Naniniwala ako he is capable. Pagdating sa capability walang kaduda-duda kaya niya. Ngayon siyempre meron lang tayo mga concerns regarding sa mga policy ng ating secretary tungkol doon sa dapat magkaroon sana ng autonomy kahit konti ’yung ating mga local government units. Masyado kaming nasasakal,” he said.
He said many local executives were considering supporting Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte should he run as president.
“Maraming local government executives ang gustong sumama sa kanya o sa idea ng federalism, hindi masyadong controlled,” he said.