VMLP chief urges restraint after Reina Mercedes clash

Vice Mayors League of the Philippines (VMLP) National President Maynard Francis Bumanglag called on vice mayors across the country to uphold order, decorum and respect in legislative proceedings amid the recent confrontation involving Reina Mercedes Vice Mayor Harold Respicio and several barangay officials.

In a Facebook post, Bumanglag said vice mayors have the right to raise questions, demand accountability and scrutinize the use of public funds as part of their responsibilities as presiding officers of the Sangguniang Bayan.

However, he stressed that the manner in which such responsibilities are exercised is equally important, particularly when discussions become heated.

“A vice mayor, as presiding officer of the Sangguniang, carries with him the responsibility to maintain order, decorum, and respect during legislative proceedings,” Bumanglag said.

He said he would not prejudge Respicio based solely on what has been publicly seen or heard, adding that the matter should undergo the proper processes and that the vice mayor should be given an opportunity to explain his side.

Bumanglag said the incident should also serve as a reminder to other vice mayors that presiding over legislative sessions involves more than having the authority to speak.

“The authority to preside is not simply the authority to speak; it is the responsibility to control the proceedings,” he said.

He added that vice mayors can be firm in demanding accountability without becoming disrespectful or allowing disagreements to disrupt legislative proceedings.

Bumanglag also clarified that the VMLP would not serve as an instrument to condemn an individual, saying that proper mechanisms should determine responsibility.

He maintained, however, that shouting, personal accusations and allowing a session to descend into disorder should not become accepted forms of parliamentary conduct.

The VMLP president also recognized that the issue being discussed in Reina Mercedes, involving the use of tobacco excise tax funds, is a legitimate matter of public accountability.

“The concern is the manner in which the questioning and confrontation unfolded, not the mere fact that the Vice Mayor questioned the use of public funds,” Bumanglag said.

He said the VMLP’s goal is to strengthen the institution of the vice mayoralty and promote more professional conduct in legislative proceedings, stressing the need to distinguish between being forceful and being disorderly, and between presiding over a session and losing control of it.