ILOILO City – Councilor Plaridel Nava is planning to file an administrative case before the Office of the Ombudsman against fellow councilor Urminico Baronda for attending a blended Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) special session on Dec. 28, 2022 while out of the country.
Nava also claimed that Baronda failed to file a leave of absence nor secure an authority to travel and such was “tantamount to disorderly behavior” and a violation of Memorandum Circular No. 35 of the Office of the President regarding “Clarifying and Reinforcing Existing Rules and Regulations on Foreign Travel Authorities, Travel Entitlements, and Travel Tax Exemptions, which Require the Approval of the Office of the President.”
Nava further cited the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2019-83 or the amended guidelines on foreign travel of local government officials and employees.
A provision of the said memorandum stated that “a Sanggunian member who intends to pursue a personal or private trip that does not extend to more than three months, or when such trip is to be undertaken during a period where there is no emergency or crisis, shall notify the concerned presiding officer… the city vice mayor in the case of SP member, in writing, with duly accomplished leave application filed for approval.”
It further said that in the event that the leave application is approved, it shall serve as the travel authorization relative to such personal or private trip.
Nava noted that it was already Jan. 3, 2023 when the office of Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon received a filed leave of absence of Baronda with a date effective Dec. 16, 2022. Thus, Ganzon only approved Baronda’s leave of absence starting Jan. 3 onwards. It was unclear until when is Baronda’s leave of absence.
“Obviously after thought na… Ang akon lang man diri, we should put order sa city council,” Nava stressed.
Baronda could not be reached for comment as of this writing.
The SP decided to give Baronda time to explain his side.
“We will give him 72 hours to explain why he should not be marked as absent at the same time ngaa indi siya pag disiplinahon,” said Nava.
Despite this, Nava said the validity of the appropriation ordinance relative to the gratuity pay of the city hall employees passed by the SP during the Dec. 28, 2022 special session will not be affected.
Based on the Facebook posts of Iloilo City’s Rep. Julienne Baronda, daughter of Councilor Baronda, they were in Sweden on Dec. 26, 2022; Rome, Italy in Dec. 29, 2022; Milan, Italy on Jan. 1, 2023; and Germany on Jan. 4, 2023./PN
