Majority bloc’s been conducting sessions in Calbayog says PCL Chair Casurao

The majority bloc is not remiss of their job as they continuously work despite disallowances

By GINA DEAN-RAGUDO, Samar News.com
July 19, 2011

CALBAYOG CITY  –  Philippine Councilors League (PCL-Samar) Chapter Chair Rogelio Casurao dismissed some allegations that the majority bloc deliberately makes absences from attending the Sangguniang Panlalawigan regular sessions in order to block the efforts of the provincial government.

In an interview with Samar News.com, he clarified that they have been conducting regular or even special sessions here in Calbayog City for four consecutive times in the absence of the minority.

“Under our Internal Rules, conducting sessions in other parts of the province is allowed, and the Sanggunian acting on its collegial level can appoint anyone to act as secretary in the conduct of the session,” said Casurao.

A reliable source said that both the majority and the minority members of the August body have not convened since its last session on April this year.

The problem of constituting a quorum for the province will not be resolved while the opposition is being deprived of their allowances that will allow them to discharge their duties and functions as board members, Casurao revealed.

While the pro administration is enjoying their privileges like brand new cars and many others, the opposition members are being denied and battling on their remuneration (i.e. gasoline, communication and travel) including the salaries and wages of their respective staff, he added.

The PCL Chair said that Calbayog and Catbalogan has a distance of more or less 75 kilometers and by ordinary computation, 20 liters of gasoline is necessary to negotiate a round trip activity like attending the regular session at the province.

Furthermore, the June 9 scheduled regular session where the indignation rally was concurrently conducted in Catbalogan City had been questioned by the opposition.

But Casurao said they acted on their personal capacity as citizens who have the “right to peaceably assemble and express redress and grievances”, like talking on their opinion on the latest political development in the province.

Lastly, the PCL Chair also denied the P3M bribe of the provincial governor just for the approval of the 2010 budget.

Laughing on the issue, he clarified that nobody from them received such amount of money from the office of the governor.

The 2010 budget of the province which had been decided by the Court of Appeals in favor of the respondents was remanded to the court a quo – the Regional Trial Court Branch 31 Calbayog, acting on the motion for reconsideration filed by the complainants, thus ordering said court to expedite the proceedings for the immediate resolution of the case, Casurao disclosed.