Dadivas, city council rift erupts anew
ROXAS CITY – The rift between City Vice Mayor Ronnie Dadivas and members of the city council erupted anew after the vice mayor strictly required Liga President Wilson Acervo to present a draft resolution before ruling it for approval during last Tuesday’s regular session.
Acervo got irked after Dadivas refused to approve the supplemental budget of several barangays due to lack of draft resolutions.
“I need your ruling on my proposed supplemental budget honorable presiding officer and not your opinion since it was unanimously seconded when I moved it,” Acervo told Dadivas during the session.
Acervo, who belongs to the majority block at the city council, moved earlier to suspend the three reading principles to pave way for the approval of the supplemental budget.
But Dadivas stood firm that he could not rule the approval of Acervo’s resolutions since there was no drafted resolution submitted to members of the august body for them to scrutinize.
“We have to follow our internal rules that there should be drafted resolution furnished to members of the city council first before the approval,” Dadivas said.
However, Acervo said that it was usual practice of members of the city council to push for measures even without drafted resolutions which was allowed by the vice mayor before.
City Councilor Carla Abela and other members of the city council also shared the same opinion with that of Acervo.
During the session, Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation President Katrina Barrios was asked by Dadivas to have a drafted resolution when she moved for the approval of the SK budget. It was later ruled by Dadivas when Barrios finally submitted the draft resolution.
Meanwhile, the session went on until the evening after Acervo submitted draft resolutions and it was finally approved.
To recall, Dadivas, who is a lone opposition in the city council, is frequently at odds with members of the city council.
Previously, Dadivas accused members of the city council for suppression of the freedom of expression for not allowing his privilege speech.
Under the internal rules, the vice mayor may be allowed to deliver his privilege speech when he relinquished his post as presiding officer and must be approved by majority of the city council