DAVAO CITY – A councilor here expressed dismay on Tuesday after he was barred from entering the session hall of the Sangguniang Panlungsod during the first State-of-the-City Address of Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte on July 28.
During his privilege speech, Councilor Nilo “Small” Abellera Jr. said that he only learned that his name was not included in the list of attendees when he approached the registration table.
Of the 24 councilors of the 20th City Council of Davao, he said that he was the only one who was not allowed to join the special session and attend the SOCA.
Abellera said that his exclusion was deeply concerning, which raised questions about the fairness and inclusivity in the council.
“Let me be clear. I was present at the venue. I arrived early, with the intention of actively engaging in this official function. But to my dismay, when I approached the registration table, I found out that my name was not on the list of attendees allowed to enter the session hall,” he said.
Abellera said that he tried to seek clarification from the staff handling the registration and made diligent efforts to rectify the situation, as he expressed his intention to join the session.
He said that he even requested the registration staff to include his name in the list but was only told that they were specifically instructed “not to entertain any inclusions, regardless of the circumstances.”
As an elected member of the council, Abellera added that it was within his right to attend the mayor’s SOCA, and should not have been prohibited from participating in the special session “in the absence of any justifiable circumstance.”
He believed that it was a deliberate decision to exclude him from the SOCA and not mere oversight.
“As an elected representative, l owe it to my constituents to actively participate in this important city affair. Denying such opportunities not only undermines our role but also hinders our ability to serve the people who placed their trust in us,” he said.
He said he was not only excluded but also it was made to appear that he was absent during roll call.
Abellera maintained that his absence from the SOCA was not due to any lack of interest or sense of responsibility.
“Some of you even saw me. Some of the people present during that time had even taken pictures with me outside the session hall. Unya, absent?” Abellera told the councilors.
He also lamented how was being treated in the council, which made his “voice and contributions” unimportant.
Abellera said that this was not the first time that he was excluded from official and social functions.
He was the only one councilor who was not given chairmanship role or membership in any of the committees.
“For the entire 10 years that I was elected councilor under different administrations, I cannot remember any circumstance where a councilor was not assigned any committee chairmanship or membership, even those who were in the opposition then. Ako pa, nga dili man gani ko opposition? (I was not even an opposition),” he said.
Although his office is not receiving “the same perks as my fellow councilors,” he said that he remains steadfast in fulfilling my duties diligently.”
“My support for this administration continues as long as I believe it benefits the people. I am committed to the success of our term because, ultimately, I was elected to serve the interests of the general public, but this will be difficult when this is how I'm treated,” he said.
In an email, the office of the councilor said that Abellera has not been given the supplemental budget “unlike all the other councilors.”
“Not so long ago, a young leader borrowed a wise man's saying, and I quote: ‘We must all suffer from one of two pains: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret,’” Abellera said, apparently referring to Mayor Duterte.
Abellera said that they should “be disciplined in our actions and decisions, to ensure that we serve the best interests of our constituents and uphold the principles of transparency and fairness.”
“We must strive to be a council of men, not a council of fools, taking accountability for our choices and working together to build a city that values equal representation and inclusivity,” he said.