'Guv's budget-orders all illegal,' Suplico insists
The still unresolved budget war in the Iloilo Provincial Government (IPG) has elicited anew a call for concerted action from Vice Governor Rolex Suplico.
Addressing members of the IPG rank and file, the Vice Governor in a The News Today (TNT) interview said confusion caused by the unresolved budget merits a look into the employees' Oaths of Office.
"Do what is right and protect and uphold the Constitution. That's what we all vowed to do," the Vice Governor said. "And the governor's orders in memorandum issued, Executive Orders... those are illegal orders. And how can the governor embarked on mere insinuations? As a lawyer, he should at least cite in full his legal basis."
The Vice Governor was reacting to one of the latest memorandum issued by Tupas.
On the matter of the now highly-controversial Capitol budget, the governor in an April 24, 2008 order wrote four of the top Capitol officials. His message was crisp and clear – the 2007 reenacted budget must prevail and his trusted men are still Manuel Mejorada as Provincial Administrator and lawyer Salvador Cabaluna III as Provincial Legal Officer.
"Since I am the appointing authority for these two positions, perfunctory, I am also the authority who can terminate their services. It is for the record that I have never terminated their services as such officers for they still continue to have my trust and confidence. They shall continue to perform and discharge the duties, functions and responsibility as such officers," the governor wrote.
The memorandum was addressed to Corazon Beloria, officer-in-charge in the Office of the Provincial Treasurer, Sandra Bionat, Assistant Provincial Accountant, Antonio Muralla, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Budget Office and Lyd Tupas, Provincial Accountant.