For signing as ‘Acting City Mayor’: Council asks Mercado to explain

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has asked city administrator Lucelle Mercado to explain why she signed as ‘acting city mayor’ on an executive order issued by acting city mayor Edgardo Labella.

One of the items in yesterday’s council session was Mercado’s endorsement of Labella’s EO “establishing office for the implementation of the Sustainable Poverty-Reduction and Economic Alleviation and Development (SPREAD) program for better life” in the city.

It has Labella’s signature as acting city mayor. Below Labella’s name is also the signature of Mercado, with the designation ‘city administrator’ below her name and the words ‘by the acting city mayor’ above.

“In what capacity she (Mercado) signed?” asked Councilor Sisi-nio Andales, adding that Mercado can only sign executive orders of the mayor if the later fails to sign them.

The same question was raised by councilors Margarita Osmeña and Gerardo Carillo.

Mercado, in a phone interview, explained that this has been the format for every attachment endorsed by the Office of the Mayor.

“That has always been the form since 1999. Mura ra ko og witness ana. There’s nothing wrong with that,” she said. She is asked to write the council of her explanation.

Andales further questioned the attachment, saying all EOs of any local government should be forwarded to the Office of the President.

He said the President has the mandate to supervise local governments in the country despite their autonomous status as provided under the Local Government Code of 1991.

He then moved for a resolution asking the Secretariat of the City Council not to accept any EOs endorsed by the Office of the Mayor without the receipt copy letter of the Office of the President.

As to the EO itself, Councilor Gerardo Carillo said it should be referred to the council’s committee on social services and committee on laws.

“The committees should look into the creation of the members of the SPREAD office because it has the same functions with existing bodies,” Carillo said, citing, for one, the city’s Anti-Mendicancy Board.

SPREAD for Better Life Office is seen to serve as a coordinating center to address the concerns of the underprivileged such as night dwellers, street children, street carolers, and mentally-ill persons, among others. — (FREEMAN)