EMBATTLED Barangay Gusa Chairman Marlo Tabac’s seat as an ex-officio member in the 21st City Council was questioned and deferred for a week yesterday, July 7.

Earlier yesterday, Tabac formally took his oath of office before Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Roland Uy after receiving confirmation from the National Liga ng mga Barangay on his appointment as the ABC President for the Cagayan de Oro Chapter. The oath was supported by Department of Interior and Local Governance (DILG) Director Elaine Depaur.

Later that afternoon, Tabac joined the first session of the 21st City Council, as per the law of succession, to become an ex-officio member as the duly confirmed ABC President of the Liga.

During the roll call, Tabac was recognized as a member of the city council, which prompted City Councilor Alam Lim to stand and question Tabac’s membership.

Lim appealed and motioned to the council to disqualify Tabac as an ex-officio member, citing a pending malversation of funds case against him at the Ombudsman. Lim stated he could not turn a blind eye to the matter.

CONTENTIOUS DEFFERAL. ABC President Marlo Tabac stands alone during a five-minute recess of the 21st City Council yesterday, July 7, as council members debated his contested membership. The council ultimately voted to defer his inclusion after a dramatic division of the house, with the majority bloc prevailing. Photo by Shiela Mae Butlig

“I highly object kay wala pa man gud nahuman ang kaso,” Lim said, referring to recognizing Tabac as an ex-officio member.

Lim’s motion was seconded by Sangguniang Kabataan President and ex-officio member Ryan Sacala, which began a “roller coaster” discussion.

The city council heard different manifestations. The minority bloc, headed by newly appointed Agapito Suan and Yevonna Yacine ‘Yvy’ Emano, emphasized that the council had no right to disqualify a member and that they were only “administerial.”

“Busa bitaw nga naghulat ta sa confirmation sa National Liga which we already have,” Emano said, adding that “we cannot disqualify, we are merely administerial.”

She stated that the council had no discretion to disqualify Tabac and should let the matter be resolved separately.

Councilor Joycelyn Balaba then moved for the deferment of Tabac’s membership, which was objected to by majority floor leader Edgar Cabanlas.

According to Cabanlas, the law is clear that Tabac is an automatic member of the city council, an assertion agreed upon by Vice Mayor Rodriguez.

In the end, due to the objection, Rodriguez moved to divide the house, and the motion for a one-week deferment won by majority vote.

During this week, Lim is waiting for another recommendation from the National Liga, which he mentioned as the reason for objecting to Tabac’s membership despite the Liga’s confirmation and the DILG’s approval of the appointment.

Tabac, on the other hand, accepted the deferment but expressed confidence in the Liga’s confirmation.

Today, July 8, Tabac will join the national Liga’s convention in Manila as Cagayan de Oro’s ABC President.

“I will continue to work as the Liga President because it’s the mandate,” Tabac said.