Governor Suarez orders officials to implement the assailed budget passed by just 4 SP members. The majority Bokals respond with planned plunder cases.
QUEZON Gov. Danilo Suarez, Vice Gov. Samuel Nantes, 4 Sangguniang Panglalawigan (SP) board members and 3 department heads face plunder charges if they push for the implementation of the 2021 provincial annual budget.
Board member Isaias ‘Sonny’ Ubana, head of the SP majority bloc, disclosed that he and his 8 other colleagues plan to file a plunder case in court against Suarez, Nantes, board members Alona Obispo, Maria Yllana Liwanag-Asistio, Donaldo Suarez and Rhodora Tan along with provincial treasurer Rosario Manzano Uy, budget officer Diego Salas and accountant Evangeline Ong once the 2021 provincial annual budget is implemented.
The plan to file a criminal case of plunder against Suarez, Nantes, the 4 SP members and the 3 members of the finance committee of the provincial government is apparently in retaliation for the 60-day preventive suspension imposed on the 8 SP majority members by the Office of the President which was implemented by the Dept. of Interior and Local Government last Nov. 11.
Suspended were Ubana, Claro Talaga Jr., Elizabeth Sio, Romano Franco Talaga, Roderick Magbuhos, Angelo Eduarte, Ireneo Boongaling and Iris Armando.
Legal, political troubles
The latest twist has raised the legal and political troubles hounding the executive and legislative branches of the provincial government in connection with the long delayed approval of the 2021 provincial annual budget worth P3.875 billion blamed on the 8 SP members.
“Nasa pagpapasiya ni Gov. Suarez kung itutuloy niya ang paggamit sa annual budget kahit nagsampa na kami ng petisyon sa mga hukuman upang linawin ang legalidad nito. Kung itutuloy niya, kami naman ng walo kong kasamahang Bokal sa majority bloc ay magsasampa ng kasong plunder laban sa kanya at sa kanyang mga department heads na susunod sa mga iuutos niya para ma-release at magamit ang budget,” said Ubana, adding that they don’t want to drag into thecase the 3 department heads of the provincial government but they have to protect the public funds.
But in his Memorandum Order No. 307, Series of 2021, Gov. Suarez has ordered all provincial government departments, the Quezon Medical Center and District Hospitals for the immediate implementation of the 2021 annual budget.
Civil case
Earlier, on Nov. 17, the SP majority bloc, thru board members Claro Talaga Jr., Elizabeth Sio and Romano Franco Talaga have filed a civil case with the Regional Trial Court in Lucena city for the nullification of the special sessions conducted bySP members Obispo, Liwanag-Asistio, Suarez and Tan on Nov. 13 and 14 and presided by Nantes.
Respondents in the civil case are Gov. Suarez, Nantes, the 4 SP minority bloc board members, along with the provincial treasurer, budget officer and accountant as members of the Finance Committee of the provincial government.
The complainants alleged that “the remaining 6 SP members cannot hold sessions and conduct official business due to lack of quorum and all actions taken during the questioned sessions on Nov. 12, 13 and 14 are null and void and can never be implemented.”
The case was raffled and fell on the sala of RTC Judge Julieto Fabrero of Br. 168.
“Naniniwala tayo na si Judge Fabrero ay magiging impartial sa kasong ito kahit na ang mgaLucena RTC judges ay may tinatanggap na allowance mula sa pamahalaang panglalawigan, ayon mismo kay Gov. Suarez,” said a radio announcer sympathetic to the 8 suspended SP members.
Office of the President
It can be recalled that on Aug. 24, Gov. Suarez filed an administrative complaint with the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs of the Office of the President against the 8 SP members for gross neglect of duty, oppression and abuse of authority in connection to the disapproval of the 2021 provincial annual budget.
On Nov. 3, a resolution was promulgated signed by Exec. Sec. Salvador Medialdea ordering the preventive suspension of 60 days against the 8 SP members.
The order was served to the 8 SP members on Nov. 11 and the following day, Gov. Suarez asked Nantes to conduct face-to-face special session on Nov. 13 and 14, Sat. and Sun., to tackle the proposed annual budget of 2021, annual investment plan 2022and proposed annual budget 2022.
On Nov. 12, board members Obispo, Suarez, Liwanag-Asistio and Tan voted to revise the SP internal rules regarding the holding of special sessions on Saturday, Sundays or holidays. The approval of the revision of the internal rules was intended to accommodate the request of Gov. Suarezto conduct face-to-face special sessions on Nov. 13 and 14.
Approved by the 4 SP members for the 2 succeeding special sessions were the Annual Budget (General Fund and Economic Enterprise) for 2021 and the Annual Investment Plan for 2022.