Labella: I’ll automatically assume as acting mayor

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said he will automatically assume as the acting mayor of the city even without the appointment of Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Labella, during the Association of Barangay Councils general assembly held at the Elizabeth Hotel, said a memorandum is no longer needed to appoint him as the acting mayor of the city as stated clearly in the Local Government Code.

"So mao siguro na na'y tubag sa inyong pangutana nga I do not actually need an appointment from anyone because it is very categorical and explicit under Section 46 of the Local Government Code," he said.

"The word is 'automatic,' mo-assume ko in the operation of law, dili tungod kay atat na atat na kaayo ko. I just have to comply with the mandate of the law because there is always an ear to the rule of law," he added.

Osmeña said he is eyeing on issuing a memorandum appointing someone to temporarily take over his position.

He said this before he and his wife Councilor Margot flew to Japan yesterday where they will spend their birthdays and 33rd wedding anniversary.

During his regular press conference yesterday at his office, Osmeña did not directly answer when asked about Labella's pronouncement that he will automatically assume as the acting mayor of the city.

"Be careful, be careful," he said.

"There will be a proper authorization, let's just wait of the proper ano… it could be the vice mayor together with the city administrator with certain restrictions," he added.

As of writing, a memorandum has not yet been issued.

Labella, a Team Rama ally, stressed that he will automatically assume as the acting mayor in the absence of Osmeña as it is his responsibility as an elected official of the city, not because of power.

"It is not because nga gusto g'yud ko nga maglingkod niana, but I have to comply and obey the mandate of the law that in case the mayor travels abroad or incapacitated, regardless the number of days, basta mogawas sa nasud, automatically naa g'yud na diha nga the vice mayor or the vice governor shall assume," he explained.

Under Section 46 of the Local Government Code, "when the governor, city municipal mayor, or punong barangay is temporarily incapacitated to perform his duties for physical reasons such as, but not limited to, leave of absence, travel abroad, and suspension from the office, the vice governor, city or municipal mayor or the highest ranking sangguniang barangay member shall automatically exercise the power and perform the duties and functions of the local chief executive concerned."

Cebu City's first couple will be back in Cebu on July 27. A week after, Margot said, they will leave the city again for her husband's annual medical checkup in Houston, Texas. (FREEMAN)