Mati Councilor sacked for refusal to sign resolutions
Mati Councilor sacked for refusal to sign resolutions
DAVAO CITY- A local legislator in Mati City, Davao Oriental was suspended after she refused to sign three corrected Sangguniang Panlungsod resolutions passed when she was the presiding officer.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Mati City issued a suspension order against Councilor Xenna Princess Campos.

Resolution No. 42 series of 2023 adopted the decision submitted by the Committee on Rules and Privileges and the Committee on Good Government, Public Ethics and Accountabilities over the disorderly behaviour committed by  Campos during the coordination meeting last February 3, 2023 and for refusal without valid excuse to perform a task assigned to her. 

Campos was suspended for 15 days without remuneration based on Section 1, No. 8, Rule XVIII of the Internal Rules and Procedures of the 7th City Council of the City of Mati. 

Mati City Information Office in its report said that Vice Mayor Enzo Rabat said that Campos’ refusal to affix her signature has affected the obligation of the LGU to pay the landowners of the three land properties purchased by the local government. 

The controversy stemmed from the three SP resolutions passed on December 20, 2022 which authorized Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat to sign for and on behalf of the City Government of Mati the conditional deed of sale with three landowners. 

It was learned that the original amounts stated in the three SP resolutions were based on the appraisal value coming from the Bidding and Awards Committee. BAC secretariat head Lucio Pequiro said it was a mistake on their part as the amount placed should have been the amount approved by the LandBank and not the appraised value. 

Documents showed that the total appraised value of the three properties was P52,805,670. But the Landbank only approved a land acquisition amount of P46,635,670.

For this, the LGU negotiated with the landowners to lower the price of their properties to match with the amount the LandBank approved as part of the P400 million loan by the City of Mati LGU. 

Upon agreement with the landowners, the LGU then requested the City Council to make corrections on the amount on the resolutions they earlier passed. The LGU's request was approved by the SP majority during a caucus and later a session. 

Being the presiding officer during the SP resolutions’ approval, the 7th City Council asked Campos to sign the corrected SP resolutions.  However,  she refused to sign thw documents.

During a press conference called by the City Council led by VM Enzo Rabat on Thursday afternoon (March 16), the councilors in attendance are one in stating that they could not fathom the reason as to why Councilor Campos refused to sign the corrected resolutions when it was already agreed by all of the members who participated during the caucus and session that included Campos. 

The City Council added that the local government even saved a total of P6,170,000 due to the correction on the three SP resolutions. 

Because of Campos’ refusal to sign the corrected SP resolutions, the councilors said that the three landowners have not yet been fully paid by the LGU.

One of the properties involved is the land where the Super Health Center is being constructed in Magapo, Barangay Central. The national government is allocating a total of P16.5 million for the construction od phase 1 and 2  of the Super Health Center.

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