The Sangguniang Bayan of Samboan and Sogod in Cebu attended the onsite capacity development intervention on “Strengthening the Knowledge and Capacity of the Local Sanggunians’ Quasi-Judicial Functions” by the DILG Regional Office and Bantay Korapsyon (BK) Program Management Office on September 14 to 15 at Bai Hotel, Mandaue City.
DILG Undersecretary for Operations and BK Supervising Authority Atty. Lord Villanueva, in his welcome message, stressed the important role of local sanggunians in not only crafting ordinances but also in disciplining erring local officials.
“Napakabigat at napakaimportante po ang ganitong kapangyarihan. In the public eye, usually when there are erring local officials, they think of going to the Ombudsman. It is not often that our public realizes that our sanggunians also have this very great power. And that’s where DILG can assist,” he said.
DILG Sugbo Provincial Director Atty. Ian Kenneth Lucero, who was tapped by DILG-7 to serve as its knowledge sharer, gave a comprehensive discussion on the laws, issuances, and Supreme Court decisions regarding the exercise of quasi-judicial powers of the local sanggunian.
Meanwhile, BK Regional Focal DMO IV Atty. Grace Melanie Lacamiento of DILG-7 and LGOO II Atty. Tereza Ruby Leprozo of DILG Sugbo shared tips on writing decisions and conducting trial, respectively, and facilitated the revalida on these topics the next day.
Samboan Mayor Emerito Calderon Jr; Samboan Vice-Mayor Irving Gamallo; regular members, presiding officer, ex-officio members, sanggunian secretary, and technical staff of both Sangguniang Bayan; Samboan MLGOO Kym Albrando; and Sogod MLGOO Sheila Mae Denden actively participated the two-day training. Second District Board Member Raymond Joseph Calderon also graced the activity.
With the long-term goal of increasing the number of resolved administrative cases vis-a-vis the number of filed complaints before the respective local sanggunians, the BK PMO of DILG Central Office partnered with the DILG Regional Offices this year to scale up its technical assistance and capacity development efforts.
Additional target LGUs will be identified next year following the establishment of baseline data on the status of local sanggunians’ quasi-judicial functions.
