A city councilor who claimed independence from his partymates is at it again. For the second time, neophyte councilor Zenaido Rama in as many sessions, questioned a party position authorizing City Mayor Dan Neri Lim to appoint two city consultants. Two team mates of Mayor Lim—former vice mayor Nuevas Tirol-Montes and former city councilor George Olario were named consultants by the city mayor after they lost in the May 14 elections. Tirol-Montes was Lim's running mate while Olario was one of the casualties of the Lim-Montes ticket. Rama was best remembered as a wayward kagawad after he endorsed the designation of V-Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso as chair of the committee on appropriations.

Rama's gesture was viewed as inimical to the interest of the party that catapulted him to victory as number five city councilor. In his latest brush with the council opposition, Rama questioned the propriety of the mayor's authority to designate consultants. The resolution authorizing the mayor to appoint consultants was authored by Councilor Danilo Bantugan, a mayor's partymate. He said it was within the mayor's prerogative to hire consultants. When he realized that he was all by his lonesome, Rama immediately withdrew his objection to the resolution. The resolution was carried out unanimously. Tirol-Montes who was named as senior consultant will start her new tour of duty on August 1. Olario assumed his new post as consultant on barangay affairs last July 2.