THE Davao City Council has asked the Office of the City Mayor to seek clearance from the council before accepting resignations from elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to determine whether they face pending complaints.
Councilors unanimously approved the resolution, sponsored by Councilor Arnulfo Ricardo Cabling, chairperson of the Committee on Ethics and Good Governance, during their regular session on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Cabling said in a privilege speech that his committee had received copies of endorsements from the mayor’s office involving SK officials who had submitted resignations.
He said some officials may believe resigning would spare them from administrative or criminal liability.
“Some of these are actually just thinking that by resigning, they have escaped administrative or even criminal liability,” Cabling said.
Under the resolution, the mayor’s office is requested to seek clearance from the council secretary or the ethics committee before acting on such resignations.
8 SK officials face complaints
In an interview after the session, Cabling said eight SK officials face complaints before his committee. At least two have resigned, he added.
At a May 5 media forum, Cabling disclosed that five SK chairpersons faced complaints over alleged misuse of funds, most of them from the city’s third district. One had resigned at the time, but Cabling said his committee would continue pursuing complaints against officials who stepped down.
On Oct. 6, Cabling said his committee planned to dismiss a complaint against an SK chairperson who had died because death extinguishes administrative liability. That official is not included in the current count of eight.
Cabling said most of the complaints involve failure to submit liquidation reports.
“Hindi solusyon ang pag-resign (Resigning is not the solution),” he said.
He added that one official who resigned also has a pending Commission on Audit observation. The committee will hold the complaint in abeyance until the COA releases its findings.
Resignation does not erase liability
Cabling urged SK officials facing complaints to address the allegations rather than resign.
“’Wag talikuran ’yung problema, harapin. Kasi kahit pa po sila ay magre-resign, the liability will still be there (Don’t turn your back on the problem. Face it. Even if you resign, the liability remains),” he said.
He said officials found liable for misusing public funds could face criminal prosecution. Those held accountable may also be disqualified from holding public office, whether elective or appointive.
Cabling noted that the new SK law allows complaints involving correctable violations to undergo remediation. GRS