Rep. Anthony Golez should have done his homework before launching his “rocket” at the House of Representatives so he could have avoided firing a dud Tuesday, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday.

Leonardia was referring to the privilege speech delivered by Golez that he immediately disseminated in a press release that, he said, only showed that he has not kept in touch with what is happening in the city.

In his Congress speech, Golez said that the city officials had claimed that Ramon Ricardo Roque, deputy secretary general of the House, had issued a certification that it is legal to celebrate Bacolod's charter day on June 18, and that Roque has denied it.

“That is totally untrue,” Leonardia said, because they have never made that claim, and had only announced that Roque had furnished them with a copy of Commonwealth Act No. 326 that created the City of Bacolod on June 18, 1938.

Leonardia said Roque confirmed this to him yesterday. A copy of his letter is published in this issue.

“BIG INSULT”

The claim of Golez that city officials are “conditioning the minds of Bacoleños” is a big insult to the people who must appear to him like mindless sheep who cannot think, he said.

Golez, meanwhile has issued another press release, still reiterating his previous one regarding the legality of celebrating June 18 as Charter Day of the City. Leonardia said he obviously has never seen any of the documents of this, that, according to National Historical Chairperson Maria Serena Diokno, “explicitly states that ‘Esta ley en vigor en cuanto sea aprobado (This act shall take effect upon its approval)”, which was on June 18, 1938.

Rep. Golez should now focus on seeking and telling the truth when he speaks out or issues press release, Leonardia said. He is now representing citizens of the city, he is no longer the spokesman of former president Gloria Arroyo whom he defended so well when she was being attacked from all sides. Maybe “conditioning” was their strategy then? He asked.

Meanwhile, Bacolod Councilor Caesar Distrito yesterday said the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod had already approved a resolution last year calling for the transfer of the Charter Day celebration from October 19 to June 18. And this year, they also approved an ordinance commemoratin June 18 and every year thereafter as the date of signing into law the Charter of the City of Bacolod, he said.

GMA's HOLIDAYS

There is no illegality in transferring the date of the Charter Day to a correct date as long as there is no double celebration, since it does not in any way violate the law, Distrito said.

He recalled that “former President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was the boss of Golez then, also transferred holidays to either Friday or Monday in her policy known as holiday economics.”

Distrito said the city officials would be very glad if Golez would sponsor a bill to amend the Charter Day law, instead of attacking a celebration already approved by the mayor and the entire Sanggunian.

During a public hearing conducted in Bacolod City, recently, Peter Jaynul Uckung, an official representative from the National Historical Commission also confirmed that Bacolod City was created on June 18 based on Commonwealth Act 326 or the Charter of Bacolod City and that October 19, was only the date of the inauguration of Alfredo Montelibano Sr. as mayor.

On Wednesday, the SP also unanimously approved a resolution requesting President Benigno Aquino lll to declare June 18, 2012, as a special non-working holiday for the City of Bacolod, as the day commemorating the date of the signing into law of the Charter Day creating Bacolod City.*CGS

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