THE TOWN of Montevista, Davao de Oro, is facing service disruptions due to a budgetary impasse concerning the wages of job order workers.
In a statement delivered during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps Media Briefing held at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Montevista Mayor Cyrex Basalo alleged that the Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) majority is blocking the budget allocation for salaries.
Basalo claims this action violated the Local Government Code. In response, the executive department filed a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman against the vice mayor and some councilors for allegedly prioritizing majority rule over established procedures.
The complaint also pertains to the delayed approval of the 2024 annual budget.
According to Basalo, the budget proposal submitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial council) remains pending.
He further detailed a disagreement regarding the Annual Investment Plan and Appropriation Ordinance (AIP-AO) last December.
While the Sangguniang Bayan initially returned the AIP-AO for review by the Municipal Development Council (MDC) as per local code, they ultimately approved it directly on December 27, bypassing the MDC.
Basalo claimed this act was illegal and vetoed the decision. However, the council reportedly overrode his veto due to their majority vote. The mayor then sought intervention from the Ombudsman, citing irregularities in the budget process.
