ILOILO City – How should Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) members address one another during sessions?
With respect and formality. Always. This was Councilor Plaridel Nava’s point when he called out Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna during yesterday’s city council session.
Cabaluna, chairman of the committee on transportation, was rendering his committee report on the city’s Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).
Prior to making a corollary motion after his committee report was adopted and approved, Cabaluna wanted to acknowledge those who took part in enhancing the LPTRP.
Nava pointed out that Cabaluna’s committee report had already been discussed and that he should now move to pass the ordinance on second and final reading, and there should be no more side comments.
Cabaluna didn’t budge despite Nava calling him out for being “out of order.” He proceeded to acknowledge all those who took part in shaping up the LPTRP including Councilor Romel Duron who was the author of the original LPTRP, Mayor Jerry Treñas, the Technical Working Group, and the transport cooperatives.
Cabaluna then moved for the passing of the enhanced LPTRP ordinance but he was called out again by Nava – this time, that he should move first for the suspension of the rules. At that juncture, Cabaluna thanked “Manong Nava” for the guidance.
Nava didn’t let that informality pass. He stood up and walked toward Cabaluna. The sergeant-at-arms present as well as Duron intervened to diffuse the tension. A recess was called.
After the session, Nava clarified he walked toward Cabaluna not to physically hit his fellow councilor.
“Ginpalapitan ko siya. Ginhambalan ko siya ‘daw agi ka maghambal.’ Indi ko gusto hambalan siya nga daw agi sa mikropono, so ginpalapitan ko na lang siya,” Nava explained.
Aside from chiding Cabaluna for side comments, Nava took issue of the former’s addressing him as “Manong Nava”.
It was not appropriate, according to Nava.
“Indi mag-init ulo mo nga sila ginatagaan mo respeto, mag-address ka sa ila ‘esteemed colleague’, ‘honorable councilor’. Ang address ‘ya sa akon ‘Manong Nava,’” he said.
Nava said he felt disrespected.
“Ano klase mga konsehal di man,” he asked.
For his part, Cabaluna said he did not think he was being disrespectful but nevertheless apologized. He recalled addressing Councilor Duron “manong”, too, in a previous session.
“What transpired prior to that, ako ang ginadiktahan…galing ginasal-utan ako in between. I did not feel slighted about it pero sang nag sige-sige na gid siya sal-ot, it felt like a(n elder) brother (was) telling me what to do. Natural ang tendency, ‘ti, manong, indi na ‘ko magdugang’. Ti, amo to, it irked him. Amo na ‘guro nagtulod sa iya but for me it was really telling him nga, ‘Kon ginadiktahan mo ‘ko, manong, ti, I listen,” said Cabaluna.
As to the “daw agi” description of him by Nava, Cabaluna said, “I have highest respect to the LGBTQ+ community. Wala ko ‘ya ginakabig ina nga insult.”
During last week’s regular session, Nava also figured in a tense situation with Councilor Rex Sarabia over proper decorum during sessions./PN
