Once again, local officials in San Pedro City, Laguna have averted a situation that could tear up the fragile unity it achieved a few weeks ago.
The city’s Sangguniang Panglungsod has finally allowed Councilors Marion Acierto and Iryne Vierneza to take their seats at the city council, ending a two-year legal battle that has threatened to destabilize local politics.
This, after the Supreme Court in a resolution issued last May affirmed the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allocate 12 seats for the Sangguniang Panglungsod during the May 2022 elections, notwithstanding the original city charter which had only provided for 10 seats.
From a legal point of view, this resolution of the Supreme Court has set a precedent for all other future situations regarding the composition of local councils – an important precedent that will shape all future changes not only in our province but also in our country.
But more importantly, once again, the city government of San Pedro has set an important precedent: that it is willing to set aside partisan differences and respect the rule of law, in a shared goal of socio-economic progress.
That precedent, which city officials started two weeks ago when they entered into an agreement that defused a potentially explosive situation in the run-up to the 2025 elections, demonstrated that only through respecting the rule of law and setting aside personal prejudices can they really work together for their constituents.
It is the fervent hope of this newsmagazine that the Supreme Court decision – and the San Pedro City LGU’s recognition of that decision – will mitigate, if not end entirely, the internal squabbles inside the Sangguniang Panglungsod and enable it to focus on enacting legislation that will benefit all San Pedrenses.
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