ANGELES CITY -- "I think they are doing this to break me, but in my long years as a public servant I have already got used to it."

Thus said Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting in reaction to the move of the majority councilors to continue the City Council's session here despite her adjournment.

The vice mayor said she had to adjourn Tuesday's session since majority of the councilors failed to come on time.

The regular session, which was supposed to start at 9 a.m. last Tuesday, was called to order at 10 a.m. with both majority and minority blocs asking for extension to wait from the presiding officer.

Cabigting, as presiding officer of the council, adjourned the session for lack of quorum.

However, in an unprecedented turn of events, the new majority bloc headed by Councilor Agapito del Rosario asked Cabigting to "start the session" when other councilor began to arrive.

Cabigting, however, ruled out that the session has already been called to order but was adjourned for lack of quorum and was not met by any objection from the council members present.

In response, del Rosario urged the vice mayor to leave the session hall. "If you (Cabigting) do not want to start the session, you leave and we will start it ourselves. The stand of the majority is we will have a session with or without you," he said.

The tension ensued when the session was called to order and presided by Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation president Carl John Miranda and later by Councilor Ricardo Zalamea despite the glaring presence of Cabigting at the presiding officer's seat.

Councilor Willie Rivera, a staunch ally of Cabigting, said the move of the majority to designate an "alternate presiding officer" was a "direct affront and disrespect" to Cabigting who was still in the session hall.

The council discussed the issue declaring Cabigting as persona non grata by pro-Nepomuceno members of the Liga ng mga Barangay and the still unsigned appointments of the staff of the city councilors.

Councilor Dan Lacson introduced the resolution declaring Cabigting as persona non grata, which was passed by the Nepomuceno bloc of barangay leaders fondly called as the "Paradise 17".

Although Cabigting has called the extension of the session "unofficial" with the secretariat having left the session hall and stenographers taking notes, she stayed in her seat to listen to the Paradise 17 village chiefs who took turns in lambasting her for repeatedly blocking the recognition of Nepomuceno to replace Alejandrino as LB president and ex-officio member of the City Council.

Rivera defended the vice mayor, explaining that she is not in a position to recognize Nepomuceno as this authority is vested only in LB national office.

Lacson said Cabigting seemed to have ignored the issues raised by the barangay leaders, as well as the needs of the staff of the councilors who have still to receive compensation from the City Government for almost two months now.

The reason he said for the "holding" of the staff's compensation is Cabigting's refusal to sign their appointments.

Lacson got carried away by his emotions and even described Cabigting as "walang puso" for not signing the appointments of staff -- an accusation rebuffed by the vice mayor.

"I have always been doing things based on what is right, and I have always been firm with my decisions. Bring it on," Cabigting challenged her detractors, adding that she would answer the issue regarding the staff in a letter.

The session was adjourned without resolving any of the issues discussed.

Cabigting and her allies are identified with former mayor now Pampanga first district Representative Carmelo Lazatin, while del Rosario and the others are identified with Mayor Francis Nepomuceno.

The Lazatins and the Nepomucenos are traditional political rivals in this city.

- SUN STAR PAMPANGA