FIGHT THE CITY HALL "STONEWALLING"

In aid of legislation and in the name of transparency, the Minority City Kagawads led by Vice Mayor Jose Veloso, are right in demanding for the people's right to know on the P6.5-million unliquidated advances of City Hall officers and personnel as December 2007 per COA Report.

In a survey over "Radyo Merkado" over Station DYRD, all 28 respondents strongly stated that the City Hall auditing and accounting departments should not "stonewall" queries relating to the transparency in the use of government funds. Ninety-four percent likewise said proper charges should be filed against those who "obstruct justice" in the process of ferreting the truth and those involved in the unliquidated P6.5 million.

Majority of the Tagbilaranons and the side of truth appear to be with them on this issue.

Vice Mayor Veloso might want to consider taking the bluff-challenge of the City Auditor to take the issue to the courts. The 2007 COA Report (a public document) clearly stated there were many violations of the law committed by City Hall. Isn't it then logical that cases be filed at the Sandiganbayan?

There is legal luminary former OIC Governor Victor de la Serna (formerly a close ally of the City Mayor) who is willing to take the bull by the horns in response to the public's clamor of transparency in the use of public funds. There could be others besides - lawyers and researchers, alike.

We welcome this development to bring this issue that plagues City Hall into the open where two courts - the legal and the public opinion - will render judgment who the culprits are - and what their punishment should be.

But perhaps the most idiotic statement of the week has to be that of the City Auditor's Office who said they will no longer entertain queries (of this nature) since the 2008 year is ending.

This is the first time we heard that the ends of justice and transparency has an expiry date. The last time we checked the Marcoses are still facing (even today) a string of cases filed years after they fled from EDSA I in 1986.

In short, this stonewalling by City Hall of legitimate issues should be stopped before it becomes a bad, incorrigible habit.