Council asks Ombuds, COA to probe use of vetoed budget

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council is asking Mayor Michael Rama to cease from using the items in the annual budget that were declared inoperative by the Department of Budget and Management because these were vetoed by the mayor himself.

Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, in a privilege speech, specifically mentioned the budget items ‘financial assistance for various projects under the aid to the city barangays’ and ‘city sponsored activities.’

Osmeña said the disbursement of funds under these items should be stopped unless it is authorized by the council.

“When we approved the 2015 Annual Appropriation, we made sure that the financial assistance for various projects would be increased. The mayor proposed P640 million but the entire council, both majority and minority, increased it to P800 million. For purposes of transparency, we provided specific provisions in the ordinance to make sure that there are no lump sum appropriations,” she said.

Osmeña said the items under the city sponsored activities included the P25 million for the Sinulog, P3 million for the Charter Day anniversary, P3 million for the Christmas Activities, P3.5 million for IBP 15th National Convention, P250,000 for the IT/BMP sector recognition night, P75,000 for the earth hour activities, P4 million graduation fee subsidy, P1 million for the League of Lupong Tagapamayapa of Cebu City, P250,000 one-stop sports hub activities, and P2.6 million for other activities subject to the approval of the council.

She said the City Council has provided that the budgetary items under the aid to the city barangays amounting to P800 million should be covered with barangay development plan and all project proposals should be approved by the council prior to its release. However, Rama vetoed these provisions and items in the budget.

She said the DBM requires that all lump sum appropriations should be approved by the City Council prior to the disbursement of funds.

 “But did that happen in this case? The answer is no! He (mayor) released money without the council’s approval,” she said.

Rama had been distributing P5 million financial assistance to the barangays under the budgetary item in questioned.

She said the DBM considered the vetoed items as inoperative and therefore could not be used.

Osmeña clarified that the majority of the members of the City Council are not blocking the mayor’s programs by raising the issue. She said they only wanted to uphold the proper budgeting rules and procedures.

The City Council approved a resolution requesting the Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit to look into the transactions of the city government charged to the questionable ‘financial assistance for various projects under the aid to the city barangays’ and ‘city sponsored activities.”

In his regular press conference, Rama insisted to use the items.

“Hold nasad? No. We will proceed because that will not be fair for the barangays kay some are already getting. Wala na sila magiyahan sa tinud-anay nga serbisyo,” he said.  — (FREEMAN)