Sangguniang Panlalawigan

MEMORANDUM

TO :               All Government Department Heads/Chiefs of Offices
                    This Province

F R O M :        The Provincial Vice-Governor

SUBJECT :      As Stated

D A T E :        15 March 2004

       Please be informed that last Saturday, 13 March 2004, majority of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, including the undersigned, were in Manila and attended a luncheon meeting with no less than Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, at the State Dining Hall of Malacañang Palace. As a proof thereof, herewith attached for your reference and guidance, is a copy of the Certificate of Attendance issued by the Appointments Secretary of the Office of the President to the undersigned and seven (7) other members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Also present in said luncheon meeting with the President and included in the Certificate of Attendance were the Congressman of our province, Hon. Joseph A. Santiago and 10 out of the 11 Municipal Mayors of Catanduanes.

       This information is being given in the light of the reported Special Session conducted by only four (4) members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, namely PBMs Alan S. del Valle, Natalio C. Popa Jr., Romeo O. Tuplano and pio P. Tubalinal, on that day, Saturday 13 March 2004, at the Office of the Governor.

      Per information we received, the four PBMs approved, among others, 1) the CY 2004 Annual Budget of Catanduanes including the 20% EDF with its programs/projects and activities (this, despite of the fact that the DBM has already received the 2004 Annual Budget of Catanduanes for its review); 2) the Supplemental budget No. 1 for CY 2004 involving the amount of P15, 241360.00 of which almost P13 Million is intended for the Governor’s Other Expenses; 3) the controversial PISO which would allow the Governor to borrow P330 Million; 4) a resolutions authorizing the provincial Governor to obtain a loan up to P35 million; and 5) resolutions/ordinances that again give blanket authority to Governor Leandro B. Vercels, Jr.

      If the reports we have received were true, we thus would like to warn the concerned Provincial Government Department Heads/Chiefs of Provincial Offices to be more circumspect or to exercise more prudence if ever the measures illegally approved by the four PBMs during said special session would be enforced by the Provincial Governor himself or involving your offices.

      There was no way the special session called for by Governor Verceles last Saturday, 13 March 2004, would have been held as obviously the SP could not muster the required quorum due to the absence of eight (8) members of the SP, including the undersigned, who were all in Manila that day. The Governor and the 4 PBMs were also aware of our meeting at Malacañang as they were sent copies of our Certificate of Attendance which they received at 2:25 p.m. while having their meeting at the Governor’s Office on that day, 13 March 2004. If the special session was conducted and it was attended by only four (4) PBMs, that session was clearly and outrightly ILLEGAL. All resolutions or measures that may thus come out as a result of said illegal session, are also void from the beginning and hence are not to be enforced or implemented.

      Also based on reports, the four named PBMs conducted said special session not at the SP Session Hall but at the Office of the Governor with no less than Governor Verceles himself in attendance or directing the session. In addition, the Special Session was not witnessesed by anyone from, and not recorded by any of, the staff of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan particularly from the Support Services Group which handles and processes all official records of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

       We thus earnestly ask all concerned not to be cowed by the antics and dictatorial directives of the Governor as these would simply mean forcing the Provincial Government Department Heads to conspire in the illegal activities that may be commited in connection with the attempt to enforce illegal measures. We appeal to your conscience and seek your sense of justice and fairness. We enjoin you to remember that as government officials and civil service employees, your loyalty should not be directed to one man only but rather to the public that we all serve. Any illegal disbursement of people’s money in connivance with the Governor and the four PBM’s of the Provincial Board would surely result to the people and the government being literally cheated of the services they so deserve. We also vow to undertake all necessary actions against anyone who will collaborate in the perpetration of any illegal activity in connection therewith.

      We also remind all concerned that until June 2004, movements of officials and employees as a product of discretionary decision by the Provincial Chief Executive are no longer allowed per the Omnibus Election Code. So that there is nothing to fear if Department Heads would lead in the fight against graft and corruption by saying no to unlawful, baseless and very controversial directives that may be issued for the purpose of enforcing illegally approved measures.

      So we may all be guided accordingly.

(Sgd.) CESAR V. SARMIENTO
Vice-Governor & SP Presiding Officer

Attached: Certificate of Attendance from Malacañang

Copy Furnished: Office of the President, Malacañang, Manila