The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) on Wednesday condemned the motion for reconsideration filed by 16 municipalities for them to become cities.

LCP president Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos said the Supreme Court has handed down the decision twice, one on March 11, 2008 and another on November 18, 2009, stating that the municipalities applying for cityhood were not able to meet the requirements.

“We were informed that the municipalities have been writing private letters to individual justices of the Supreme Court. They even wrote to the clerk of court to recall the entry of judgement, and we were able to get hold of some of these letters. The decision was already final, and the Supreme Court has already denied their Motion for Reconsideration on March 31 this year,” Abalos said.

Abalos added that during the court hearings, the LCP presented their data as well as the requirements, as mandated by law, for cityhood. “We are not against cityhood. In fact we welcome it.”

One of the requirements for a municipality to become a city, according to Republic Act 9009 is that they generate a minimum income of P100 million in locally generated income.

“Aside from the income requirement, the municipalities vying for cityhood should also have a land area of 100 square kilometers or a population of 150,000. If you will look at San Juan for example, they might not have the land requirement. But their population and their local revenue fill the requirement of being a city,” said Mel Senen Sarmiento, LCP Secretary General and Mayor of Calbayog City, Samar.

The municipality of Batac in Ilocos Norte, one of the municipalities, was denied the right to become a city because it only has a generated income of P43.9 million in 2007 and has a population of 50, 675.

Although the land area of Batac is measured 161.06 square kilometers.

In comparison, the municipalities of Cainta, Rizal, Biñan, Laguna, and Imus, Cavite have a generated income of P311 million, P235 million, and P229 million respectively, and all have population exceeding the minimum requirements.

The other 15 municipalities include,Baybay, Leyte; Bayugan Agusan Del Sur; Bogo, Carcar; and Naga in Cebu; Borongan, Eastern Samar; Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte; Catbalogan, Samar; El Salvador, Misamis Oriental; Guihulngan, Negros Oriental; Lamitan, Basilan; Mati, Davao Oriental; Tabuk, Kalinga; Tandag, Surigao Del Sur; and Tayabas, Quezon.

“We should respect what the law suggest because it has been studied in court. Not only in our province of Cavite, but in the whole country as well, a lot of municipalities are qualified to become cities already.

But these municipalities are patiently waiting for the court's decision,” said Trece Martires Mayor Melencio de Sagun.

“As a practicing lawyer before, I never imagined that this would happen. I just wished that we would be heard in our plea. The decision is final so I can't see any reason why they are still pushing to re-open the case which had a final decision and execution already.” Abalos said.