Did the city government of San Pablo, Laguna abuse its powers by "forcing" the move of many government functions to the new Mega Capitol in Barangay San Jose?
In a recent privilege speech before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Laguna 3rd District Board Member Karla Monica Adajar-Lajara questioned the recent decision of the city government of San Pablo City to transfer most of its local departments to the new San Pablo City Mega Capitol which was opened last October 2024.
Specifically, Adajar raised concerns that the Sangguniang Panglungsod of San Pablo led by Vice Mayor Justin Colago failed to conduct public hearings on the decision to transfer local government departments to the new government center.
"Wala namang problema dahil kailangan na rin natin isaayos ang sumisikip na sitwasyon ng trapiko sa lungsod. Yun nga lang, may legal na probisyon na hindi dapat isantabi ng Sangguniang Panglungsod," the board member asserted in a separate Facebook post.
Adajar also questioned the alleged absence of an ordinance passed by the Sangguniang Panglungsod that will authorize the local government to construct the new Mega Capitol or transfer its functions there.
Colago had earlier asserted that the Sangguniang Panglungsod allegedly passed an ordinance sometime in 2022 or 2023, authorizing the construction of the new Mega Center.
However, a certification from the secretariat of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, to which all local ordinances are sent for approval, had shown that no such ordinance ever reached the provincial board.
"Ang paglilipat ng mga opisina ng pamahalaan ay kasama sa mga special o specific ordinance na nangangailangan ng pampublikong konsultasyon... [Ito] ay pagpapakita ng respeto at transparency natin sa taong-bayan," Adajar stressed in her speech.
Aside from such irregularities, Board Member Lorenzo Zuñiga also raised concerns from residents who complained that the new Mega Capitol was “too far” from downtown San Pablo City and can only be accessed by tricycles which charge exorbitant fares.
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