Ex-Councilor hits creation of City Mayor's seal
BACOLOD CITY -- Former Bacolod City Councilor Archie Baribar recently questioned the acts displayed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia when he invented his own seal for the Office of the City Mayor.
Baribar said that there is only one emblem for the city and that is the "Seal of the City of Bacolod.” "Why is it that Mayor Leonardia used his own seal since February this year?" Baribar asked.
He said that this is a sign of disrespect to the seal of the City of Bacolod.
"This is an issue of protocol because history shows, no local chief executive in the past administration has drawn his own seal," Baribar added.
Baribar said that the seal representing the city or any office should be included in the charter of Bacolod or an ordinance passed by the city council.
He believes that a seal of a public office is not a coat-of-arms which can be invented by anyone who assumed a public position.
"This is one administrative infraction. And it is also a grave abuse of authority," Baribar said.
Baribar added, "this is the height of Leonardia's vanity of all vanities."
“After constructing a governmental palace, Leonardia now wears a self-serving coat-of-arms.”
On the other hand, Bacolod City Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Director Victorio Pagapulan said that he is not aware that Mayor Leonardia had his own seal.
Pagapulan said that any Local Government Unit seal must be recognized and approved by the National Historical Commission. "If the city government invented a new seal it must be approved by the Sangguniang Panglungsod through the endorsement of the city council," Pagapulan said.
He added that there is no problem with the "Seal of the City of Bacolod" because it is duly recognized by the National Historical Commission. He further stressed that as of now, there is no move to change the Bacolod City Seal and he cannot comment further on the seal being used by the city mayor.