By KIT BAGAIPOThe Bohol ChronicleHostilities between City Mayor Dan Lim and Kag. Zenaido Rama has deepened with the mayor lambasting the neophyte councilor on July 8, 2007 over his weekly radio program.
Mayor Lim and Kag. Rama, runningmates in the 2004 elections, are widely perceived as staunch allies until last Wednesday when the 10th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) voted to elect chairmanships in three crucial committees.
The committee on appropriation could have been chaired by two-term Kag. Oscar Glovasa, who belongs to the mayor's camp, but Kag. Rama refused to toe the line and vote with his partymates prompting SP members to defer the selection until a vote was called during its inaugural session Wednesday.
Beforehand, Kag. Rama had already indicated that when a vote is called for the appropriation committee, he wants an open voting instead of the secret balloting.
"I want to explain my vote," Kag. Rama said, as he wants "transparency and accountability" among the members of the 10th Sanggunian.
Kag. Rama said, in an interview with mediamen, he voted for Vice Mayor Veloso as he believes that the Sanggunian, as a legislative body, should establish its independence from the chief executive.
He criticized the 9th Sanggunian for being perceived as "a rubberstamp Sanggunian."
The first-term councilor has vowed to scrutinize the 2007 budget, which he said, contains questionable items, especially appropriations for the office of the city mayor.
According to Mayor Lim, he does not care if the committee on appropriation is headed by the vice mayor.
He said, as far as he is concerned, he has no personal enmity with Vice Mayor Veloso and that he can work with the latter.
The mayor warned Kag. Rama that he should be ready to prove his claims that there are doubtful items in the 2007 budget.
"I will respect the members of the Sanggunian if they want to establish independence," said the mayor.
Kag. Rama pointed out that he does not want to be branded as an obstructionist as he is just doing his job.
"I have an obligation to the people who elected me," he said, "I'll do my job and I expect the mayor will do his."
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