SP overrides Guv's veto of Appropriation Ordinance
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has prevailed over Gov. Niel Tupas, Sr. with regard to the approval of Appropriations Ordinance 2008-01-a embodying the province's Executive Budget for this year.
Voting 10-2 the provincial board overrode Governor Niel Tupas's veto of the entire appropriation ordinance which the latter deemed "unconstitutional" and "illegal."
In favor of the override were board members Richard Garin, Macario Napulan, Mariano Malones Sr., Arthur Defensor Jr., George Demaisip, Jesus Salcedo, Jett Rojas, Cecilia Colada, Jeneda Salcedo and Giuseppe Karl Gumban.
While, board members June Mondejar and Shalene Palmares-Hidalgo voted against the override of the Governor's veto. Board Member Rodolfo Cabado was not present during yesterday's special session.
Before the votation, Vice Governor Suplico, chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, delivered a privilege speech answering "point by point" the issues raised by the governor in his veto message.
Suplico defended the deletion of the appropriations for the positions of Executive Assistant IV occupied by Governor Tupas's wife Myrna and Executive Assistant II occupied by Levy Buenavista citing Sec. 325 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, which he said applies only to career positions in the official plantilla.
Suplico noted that Mrs. Tupas and Buenavista are primarily occupying confidential positions in the Office of the Governor, thus, "it is within the powers of the (SP) to adopt a policy for the (removal) of the appropriations for these positions..."
Suplico also maintained that both Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada and Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Salvador Cabaluna are "usurpers and are not employees of the Iloilo Provincial Government."
He said, "the Civil Service Commission, through its Regional Office No. 6, in its letter dated August 15, 2007, declared that the positions of Provincial Administrator and Provincial Legal Office are 'considered vacant'."
Suplico also defended the deletion of the appropriations for vacant positions saying the move is "in the interest of efficiency and economy and the promotion of the general welfare."
"It was noted during the budget deliberations that the proposed Annual Budget for FY 2008 could not be adequately explained by the Local Finance Committee and the heads of offices," Suplico said.
Suplico also disputed the several cited citations made by Governor Tupas in his veto message.
The vice governor also said that Tupas forgot what legislative power is when he said that "the Sangguniang has no power to revise the priority goals and objectives of the Province by emasculating, castrating and mutilating the proposed budget and substitute its own will as to how the budgetary appropriations will be spent."
"He also forgot the principle of separation of powers and its corollary principle of checks and balances. This is elementary, so elementary that not to know this would constitute gross ignorance of the law. It may tremendously benefit the province if the Governor revisits the law," Suplico said.
The vice governor said, with the override of the Governor's veto, the approved Executive Budget in the amount of P1,087,843,625.00 takes effect immediately.
Meanwhile, Tupas earlier declared that he will never implement the questioned executive budget because it is "unconstitutional" and "illegal."