MALAY, Aklan – Did money exchange hands in the passage of a controversial resolution? Vice Mayor Niño Carlos Cawaling of Malay, Aklan is suspicious.
The rift between Cawaling and the Sangguniang Bayan (SB), including its secretariat, has widened. The mayor has questioned the passage of a resolution granting Outdoor Adventure Aqua Sports Inc. a special permit to operate in Boracay Island.
The resolution, which he dismissed as “fake,” was introduced by Councilor Dante Pagsuguiron. He said it was released by the SB Secretariat without his permission, with unedited content, and bearing only his electronic signature.
Cawaling’s protest brings into fore anew the “Resolution For Sale” issue.
During the investigation of the Committee on Good Government, Cawaling confronted Pagsuguiron, “Bakit ba kayo nagmamadali? May money involve ba dito?”
PRE-ARRANGED
Following his complaint, the Sangguninan Committee on Good Government chaired by Ranie Tolosa conducted an investigation but Cawaling was not satisfied.
“Parang may naluto na. It’s four versus one ang hearing kahapon,” he said.
Among the members of the committee was Pagsuguiron himself, Cawaling pointed out.
THE WRONG VERSION
Cawaling also claimed that the
resolution approved by the Sanggunian Secretariat was the “wrong version.”
During the deliberation, Cawaling said he and other members of the Sanggunian
proposed a 10-percent share for the municipality from the income generated by
the company’s operation. It was approved on the final reading.
SIMPLE NEGLECT
During the Committee investigation, SB
Secretariat head Connie Alcantara reasoned out that the use of the vice mayor’s
signature on the resolution before it was printed out was a case of “simple
neglect”. She said her staff forgot to ask the vice mayor’s permission to use
his e-signature instead due to busy schedule and loads of paperwork.
She claimed, too, that the Sanggunian has a long standing practice of using
e-signatures in the resolutions being passed by the Council.
The resolution, Cawaling further said, had been approved for release when he
was out of town.
STILL FILING FALSIFICATION CHARGES
Despite the outcome of the Committee investigation, Vice Mayor Cawaling said he is still determined to file appropriate charges such as Falsification of Public Documents against the some individuals. (RadyotodoAklan/PN)
