Nava hits Mabilog over traffic lights row

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City Councilor Plaridel Nava has blamed Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog for the cancellation of the scheduled  'dialogue' over the issue of allegedly overpriced traffic lights and the worsening traffic jams in the city.

Credits: Plaridel Nava Facebook.

Posted in his Facebook account on Thursday morning, Nava scored the Mayor for "willful and malicious intent either to delay the findings of truth or to buy more time to prepare for their defense and justifications."

Here's the full text of his social media post:

Breaking:

The pre-scheduled "dialogue" tomorrow, June 26, between the City Council and invited resource persons/department heads who may have knowledge and information about the installation of the controversial signal lights has been CANCELLED.

The World Mayor, PhD (1.0) wrote a letter to the Sanggunian questioning the purpose and the nature of the "dialogue".

The World Mayor, PhD (1.0) also pointed out that the invited resource persons/department heads of the city government could not attend the "dialogue" without his prior authority.

Considering that he was leaving for the United States, the City Council and the public have to wait for his return on July 7 before he decides as to whether or not he will issue such authority.

Even so, there is no guarantee and assurance from the World Mayor, PhD (1.0) that he will give the department heads the FREEDOM to shed light on the issue of traffic lights.

I am pretty sure that there is a willful and malicious intent either to delay the findings of truth or to buy more time to prepare for their defense and justifications. It is obvious and apparent from the actions of the World Mayor, PhD (1.0).

Premises considered, I am afraid that the period of two weeks before the World Mayor, PhD (1.0) comes back may be maximized to cleanse and whitewash damning documents and paper trails relative to the purchase of these traffic lights. In so doing, we may not be able to ferret out the truth. I hope my instinct is wrong.

As a lawyer with a humble passing grade, I do understand that there exists no law that prohibits or bars the department heads from attending a dialogue with the members of the local legislative body to discuss a legitimate and valid issue of public concern.

By issuing them a gag order is a violation not only of their constitutional rights to speak freely but also the constitutional rights of the Ilonggos to be properly apprised of the government affairs.

Where is the so-called transparency in public office? If the purchase and installation of the traffic lights are above board and not tainted with irregularity, the World Mayor, PhD (1.0) has nothing to worry.

In fact, as chief executive, he is supposed to support our good intention to let the public know how their taxes, and monies that came from their sweat and blood, are being spent by the World Mayor, PhD (1.0).

Transparency? Never in his vocabulary.

Councilor Nava also made it clear that he has no intention of running against Mayor Mabilog next election.

He was merely doing his job as a Chairman of the Transportation Committee in the City Council, he added.

"The people of Iloilo City deserve a fiscalizer and neutralizer in the City Council to check and balance the power of the World Mayor. No more, no less."

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