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[av_heading heading=’Gamboa defends Nov. 9 public hearing ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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BACOLOD City – For Councilor Wilson Gamboa, the public hearing that he conducted on Nov. 9 did not violate the internal rules of the city council.
The public hearing – which discussed House Bill No. 5875 seeking to declare June 18 of every year as the Bacolod City Charter Day and make it a local special nonworking public holiday – has been the bone of contention among Gamboa, Councilor Caesar Distrito and other members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).
Distrito on Nov. 12 released a statement criticizing Gamboa for his plan to hold another hearing for the bill, which is still pending approval at the House of Representatives.
Distrito said Gamboa has “no authority from the SP” to conduct the hearing since it was “never referred” to any of the committees that the latter chairs.
Gamboa is the chairman of two SP committees. One is the committee on history, culture and arts.
“There is no rule or any provision in the internal rules or any law that prohibits any member of the SP to conduct a public hearing on matters involving public interest, more so, if the issue is related to his/her committee,” Gamboa said in a statement yesterday.
Gamboa added that Distrito “might have been confused by the rule that only docketed correspondences can be deliberated, discussed or acted on the SP floor.”
“He (Distrito) might also be confused thinking that the topic discussed in the Nov. 9 public hearing was in connection with a resolution principally sponsored by him expressing full support to the House Bill No. 5875,” Gamboa stressed.
Gamboa further explained that the public hearing – which he earlier described as “very enlightening and informative” – was “called for individuals with differing opinions on the proposed bill so I can be comprehensively apprised, properly informed and enlightened prior to formulating an official stand or position on the matter.”
Gamboa said he “owes it to the people of Bacolod to be a judicious and properly informed councilor.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Evelio Leonardia refused to comment on the issue. He said, “That is an internal SP matter. It’s best for them to resolve it themselves.”
But Leonardia said he was for the “June 18 Charter Day.”/PN
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