Guv issues EO declaring aide as 'official alter-ego'
Mejorada
Objections notwithstanding and questions still unresolved, Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. issued an Executive Order (EO) vesting yet new 'powers' to a controversial aide.
Contained in EO 020, an order is now out and supposedly in full-effect throughout the Capitol vesting Manuel Mejorada with authority in the operations of the Iloilo Provincial Government's re-enacted budget.
As such, the governor as per EO 020 delegates Mejorada as "the alter-ego of the Governor" in his capacity as the provincial administrator. The said post has since been declared vacant by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) in a letter to Vice Governor Rolex Suplico. Same post subject of major changes in the current Executive Budget as approved by the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) with the appropriations herein asked to be deleted.
The authority as now ordered by Governor Tupas is aimed "to facilitate the smooth flow of transactions. " Further still, "this delegation of authority shall take effect immediately and shall remain in full force until revoked."
And for the governor, Mejorada is not only the man for the job but that such was "deemed imperative that this power to ascertain and determine the essential operating expenditures necessary for the Provinces's operations be delegated to the Provincial Administrator as the alter-ego of the Governor."
"Whereas the Iloilo Provincial Government is now operating under a re-enacted budget due to the failure of the Sanggunian Panlalawigan to enact an appropriations ordinance at the close of the fiscal year 2007;" excerpts of the EO also went, the Order specifically out for Mejorada "to ascertain and determine the essential operating expenditures to be paid out of the re-enacted budget."
Come Tuesday members of the Legislative Body are out to discuss the Executive Budget with the major cuts made here vetoed by the Governor.
As counter-veto measure, the SP body is also expected to override the matter. Meantime, EO 020 takes full effect and Mejorada the man for the job.
Meanwhile, Mejorada yesterday filed an administrative complaint with the Office of the President against Suplico for oppression, misconduct in office and abuse of authority.
In his letter complaint, Mejorada cited that upon his election as vice governor in May 2007 Suplico "had time and again declared in various media interviews that he will make me 'go through a needle's hole' in getting 're-appointed' as Provincial Administrator."
Mejorada narrated that Suplico showed hostile attitude towards him because of his role as campaign manager of Tupas.
"To demonstrate his hostility toward complainant, responded Suplico took the floor of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on September 4, 2007 to deliver a privilege speech... and uttered libelous remarks about the person and integrity of complainant," Mejorada said in his letter complaint.
Mejorada also complained on the vice governor's act of deleting the appropriations for the positions of Provincial Administrator and Provincial Legal Officer, "with the intent of causing undue injury and deprivation of compensation, with evident bad faith and malice, and done in an arbitrary or despotic manner by reason of passion or personal hostility."
In ending his letter complaint Mejorada asked Pres. Arroyo to issue a preventive suspension on Suplico to "prevent him from making use of his position to continue intimidating, oppressing, harassing and causing more harm or injury on complainant."