CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez here favors the proposal of the 20th city council majority to subject all of the councilors, including her, to a seminar about parliamentary procedure.

In a phone interview Tuesday afternoon, July 12, Rodriguez said that she is willing to participate in the proposal despite the majority’s non-participation in her meetings set up prior to the start of their term as newly elected officials.

“I have no problem with that, whether the new (councilors) or old. So that all can participate. I have no problem if they go for parliamentary procedures. I can also undergo myself with parliamentary procedure,” Rodriguez said.

“I invited them (the majority) before in one dinner, on June 25, they did not show up. Next, during my blessing here in my office, they were invited, nobody showed up,” she added.

A heated verbal exchange in a session of the 20th city council here occurred Monday.

As a result, a seminar on parliamentary procedures was proposed by city council Pro Tempore Councilor Edgar Cabanlas to ensure a peaceful legislative session.

Cabanlas, in a press conference Monday, July 11, stressed that all city councilors, including the old members of the city council, need to undergo the proposed seminar that should be spearheaded by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“The members of the majority of the city council will write a letter to DILG for sponsorship and to be signed by all of us so that the communication would be official,” he added.

The extreme verbal argument happened between Rodriguez and Cabanlas, including Councilor Roger Abaday.

It started when Rodriguez did not recognize city council’s majority floor leader, Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya, who wanted to speak while the council secretary read the second item in the agenda. This prompted Abaday to ask for a parliamentary inquiry addressed to the presiding chair.

Rodriguez did not also recognize Abaday and asserted her position as the vice mayor and the presiding officer of the city council.

“Please sit down, you are not recognized. Sit down! Unless you are the vice mayor. I am the presiding officer and you are also the councilor,” Rodriguez told Abaday.

When the city council’s minority floor leader, Councilor James Judith, asked to move for recess, Cabanlas called for point of order and told Rodriguez that point of order does not require recognition from the chair.

“Point of order, Madam Chair, please. Point of order does not require the recognition of the chair. What the chair can say only is, what is your point of order?” Cabanlas told Rodriguez.

“My point of order is that the chair is not following the rules; recognize Councilor Nacaya,” Cabanlas added.

However, after a short break, the session hall went quiet as Rodriguez acknowledged her mistakes and asked everyone inside the hall to give her a chance to improve and preside over the city council.

Cabanlas, on the other hand, apologized to Rodriguez and said that he had no intention to disrespect the vice mayor. Rodriguez also apologized to Cabanlas.

The past two sessions of the new city council here were quite viral, especially in social media, due to heated arguments between the councilors.