PaDayon city councilors barred opposition from questioning Agora BOT contract

February 5, 2009

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

PaDayon Pilipino city councilors yesterday did not give opposition city councilors the opportunity to question the controversial P250 million Agora Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT) contract during their regular session yesterday.

Opposition City Councilor Roger Abaday attempted to raise his questions on the Agora IBT Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) deal during the first part of their regular session under “Special Reports”.

But City Council acting presiding chairperson Ian Mark Nacaya ruled that this would be a violation of their Internal House Rules considering that there was an invited guest speaker from SM City who made a presentation on their biodegradable “Green Bags.”

“In our order of proceedings, if there is an invited speaker there’s no special reports,” he said.

He added that City Councilor Alfonso Goking even agreed that his special report will be given later as one of the items under “Other Matters.”

Abaday tried to reason out but then yielded to Nacaya’s ruling as presiding officer to follow in Goking’s footsteps.

During the time allocated for “Other Matters” and just before adjournment of their council session, Goking gave his special report.

When Goking finished, Abaday returned to speaker’s stand and tried to also present his special report saying that what he was about to discuss was of “vital importance” as it has placed the City Council into the “limelight”.

But Abaday was interrupted by Majority Floor Leader Ramon Tabor who inquired as to nature and topic of his report.

Abaday said it was about the Agora BOT contract which was recently signed by Mayor Constantino Jaraula.

saying that what he would even be yielding the floor to opposition City Councilor Teodulfo Lao to discuss the matter.

But just as Abaday was saying that Lao is the best person to discuss the Agora IBT contract considering that project is located at Lao’s district and the latter was the barangay chairperson of Barangay Lapasan where the project will be constructed, he was interrupted by Tabor.

Tabor told Abaday that this matter should have been first placed under their city council’s calendar of items to be discussed before it should be brought to their regular session.

“I’m very sure that we are all interested to discuss this but this should be calendared. I assure you City Councilor Abaday we are eager to discuss this,” he said.

Nacaya then inquired from Tabor as to whether there is a pending motion regarding the Agora BOT project.

When Tabor replied that there was none, Nacaya said he is thus ruling in favor of the opinion of the Majority Floor leader.

He said until the time the “legislative takes cognizance” of the matter about the Agora BOT, then that would be the time to discuss it.

At this point, Abaday tried to reason out with Nacaya but Nacaya shouted at him saying, “You are not recognized!”

Abaday countered by raising his voice as well saying, “Yes, I submit that I am not recognized as I am not the presiding chair but we have to discuss this matter on the Agora…”

But Nacaya with a higher tone banged the gavel several times while shouting at Abaday saying, “You are not recognized! You are not recognized!”

Abaday shouted back that he is still a city councilor and that what the two administration councilors are doing is a “monopoly” and returned to his chair.

Nacaya then said that they have to follow the rules and then he called if there was any motion for adjournment of their session.

A number of voices from the administration city councilors moved for the adjournment while Abaday, Lao and Minority Floor Leader Zaldy Ocon raised their hands to object to the same motion.

Nacaya turned a blind eye to the raised objections for adjournment from the opposition and declared the session adjourned.

Former city councilors Edgar Cabanlas and Alvin Calingin separately told Gold Star Daily that that the move to silence the voices of the opposition city councilors during their regular session yesterday speaks a lot of how the administration city councilors are trying to hide something regarding the Agora deal.

“Klaro kaayo sila nga nangahadlok nga ma-discuss kining Agora (It is clear that they fear discussing this Agora project),” Cabanlas said.

Calingin for his part said what happened to the opposition city councilors during yesterday’s session was a “clear curtailment” the right to express not just for themselves but for city residents who voted for them.

He said the administration city councilors were displaying “excessive arrogance” just to hide the truth from the people.”

Calingin said Nacaya and Tabor should have just allowed Abaday, Lao and Ocon to speak during the “Special Reports” part of the session or during the “Other Matters” even without the Agora BOT deal.

“Kay sa tinuod lang dii man gyud usually mai-calendar ang items sa Special Report ug sa Other Matters. What is only required is that the items to be discussed is of vital and urgent and the Agora BOT contract is of such a matter that is vital and urgent,” he said.

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