"JUST like what happened last week, it is a black eye to the good name of the City Council in Bacolod City."
This was the reaction of Acting Bacolod Vice Mayor Ricardo Tan after no session was held again Wednesday afternoon, August 1, due to lack of quorum.
Tan, the acting presiding officer, said only five councilors were present.
They are Councilors Elmer Sy, Ana Marie Palermo, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Claudio Puentevella, and Ayesha Joy Villaflor.
Councilors Sonya Verdeflor and Noli Villarosa were on official leave.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Councilors Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, Dindo Ramos, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero and Bartolome Orola were on an official trip to Long Beach, California since July 19.
Last week, the city council has no session due to lack of quorum, which is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly.
Tan said the 109th regular session started at 3:15 p.m. and adjourned it 17 minutes later as there is no quorum.
"We cannot constitute a quorum because six of the councilors were on a trip while two others were also on leave. It is very disadvantaged to the people of Bacolod because we have so many pending resolutions that need an immediate action, but it will not be acted upon due to lack of quorum," he said.
Since its two sessions already that there's no quorum, the city council now turned into nothing, Tan said.
He said Mayor Evelio Leonardia is also responsible for this incident because as a mayor, he can advise his group not to travel altogether since he was also the one who approved the travel of the councilors.
"They can travel with two or three councilors, but not as big as six councilors. I'm not against on their travel and we should think our constituents here," he added.
Tan said he is hopeful that this will not again happen.
Leonardia had earlier said that there are no government funds were involved here.
Familiaran and the six councilors had earlier issued a joint statement that their trip is legal and aboveboard.
