The timeless wisdom “Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you” may serve as a guidepost to city councilors allied with outgoing city mayor Dan Lim. Resorting to the same tactic otherwise known as the “tyranny of numbers,” the majority bloc led by city councilor Baba Yap had succeeded in reinstalling Taloto Barangay Captain Faro Cabalit back to the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Cabalit, in a move prodded by the so-called “the tyranny of the majority,” was voted out as ABC President in 2011, losing his Sangguniang Panlungsod seat as ex-officio member, following a City Mayor Dan Lim-backed ABC election. Despite the political coup that ousted Cabalit in 2011, he remains the recognized ABC President by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Provincial Government of Bohol, and the national Liga ng mga Barangay. As the stand-off at the City Council deepens, City Councilor Nerio Zamora III said that Cabalit cannot just be put back to the City Council as the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president without incurring legal headache.

In the Proposed Resolution No. 130-12 entitled “Recognizing and Reinstating Punong Barangay Faro M. Cabalit of Taloto District, Tagbilaran City as Ex-Officio Member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Tagbilaran,” acting presiding city vice-mayor Yap agreed the approval of the resolution, to the vehement protest of the minority bloc, who are councilors belonging to the defeated administration of Mayor Lim. Like crying babies, the city councilors identified with Mayor Lim are being scorned by the public for their blatant insistence to enforce something that is patently illegal and non-sense. They complain now that they have become victims of the so-called the “tyranny of the majority” after they were outvoted by the new majority group at the SP in their bid to put Cabalit back to City SP. But we have to remember that this was the same political maneuver they had employed in order for Cabalit to disappear from their sight. Why complain now?

It is of no debate that whoever will rule the SP come July 1 would also serve at the pleasure of incoming city mayor Baba Yap. The so-called balance of power may not be so balanced at all if our legislatures would continue to behave as if they owe their existence to one political patron, not the voting populace. In the case of pro-Lim councilors, they continue to act adamant to the calls of their conscience because they don’t want to hurt their political sponsor. Instead of serving the wishes of the public, they are serving the wishes of only one person. At the end of the day, elected public officials must bear in mind what Manuel L. Quezon had said about loyalty: “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins.”