DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 1 August) – A councilor from the city’s first district expressed his dismay on Tuesday after he was allegedly barred from entering the session hall of the Sanggunian Panlungsod (city council) during the first State of the City Address (SOCA) of Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte on Friday, 28 July.
In a privilege speech, Councilor Nilo “Small” Abellera Jr. said that he only learned that his name was not included in the list of attendees when he approached the registration table.
Of the 28-member 20th City Council of Davao, including the vice mayor and sectoral representatives, he said that he was the only one who was not allowed to join the special session and attend the mayor’s SOCA.
This was not the first time Abellera was excluded from official and social functions since the youngest son of former President Rodrigo Duterte with Elizabeth Zimmerman became the mayor last year.
Under the current set of councilors, Abellera is the only one who was not given a chairmanship role or membership in any of the committees.
“For the entire 10 years that I was elected councilor under different administrations, I cannot remember any circumstance where a councilor was not assigned any committee chairmanship or membership, even those who were in the opposition then. Ako pa nga dili man gani ko opposition (And me, I‘m not even an opposition)?” he said.
Although his office is not receiving “the same perks as my fellow councilors,” he said that he remains steadfast in fulfilling his duties diligently.
“My support for this administration continues as long as I believe it benefits the people. I am committed to the success of our term because, ultimately, I was elected to serve the interests of the general public, but this will be difficult when this is how I’m being treated,” said Abellera, who is in his first term as come-backing councilor.
Abellera said that his exclusion from Mayor Duterte’s first SOCA was deeply concerning which, according to him, raised questions about fairness and inclusivity in the city council.
“Let me be clear. I was present at the venue. I arrived early with the intention of actively engaging in this official function. But to my dismay, when I approached the registration table, I found out that my name was not on the list of attendees allowed to enter the session hall,” he lamented.
The camp of Mayor Duterte or Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain Jr., who is the presiding officer of the Sanggunian Panglungsod, have not issued any statements on Abellera’s claim so far.
Abellera said that he tried to seek clarification from the staff handling the registration and made diligent efforts to rectify the situation, as he expressed his intention to join the session.
He said that he even requested the registration staff to include his name in the list, but was told that they were specifically instructed “not to entertain any inclusions, regardless of the circumstances.”
As an elected member of the council, Abellera added that it was within his rights to attend the mayor’s SOCA, and should not have been prohibited from participating in the special session “in the absence of any justifiable circumstance.”
He believed that it was a deliberate decision to exclude him from the SOCA and not a mere oversight.
“As an elected representative, l owed it to my constituents to actively participate in this important city affair. Denying me such opportunity not only undermines my role but also hinders my ability to serve the people who placed their trust on me,” he said.
Abellera said that he was not only excluded, but was even made to appear that he was absent during the roll call.
He maintained that his absence from the SOCA was not due to any lack of interest or sense of responsibility.
“Some of you even saw me. Some of the people present during that time had even taken pictures with me – outside the session hall. Unya (and then), absent?” Abellera told the plenary.
He also lamented how he was being treated in the city council, which made his “voice and contributions” unimportant in the Sanggunian Panlungsod.
In an email, Abellera’s office said that he has not been given the supplemental budget, “unlike all the other councilors.”
Apparently taking a jab at Mayor Duterte, Abellera said: “Not so long ago, a young leader borrowed a wise man’s saying, and I quote: ‘We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”
Abellera said that public officials should “be disciplined in our actions and decisions, to ensure that we serve the best interests of our constituents and uphold the principles of transparency and fairness.”
“We must strive to be a council of men, not a council of fools, taking accountability for our choices and working together to build a city that values equal representation and inclusivity,” he said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
