Nuño's victory and Jimenez' gain

(Published in Zamboanga Today on 14 February 2008.)

Councilor Abdurahman Nuño, who still sits at the City Council as the president of the 98-strong force of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Zamboanga City, can now breathe a sigh and flash a smile at lawyer and former councilor Cesar Jimenez who had earlier filed a quo warranto suit against the former before the Office of the Solicitor General.

Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera, acting on the complaint, however ruled that Nuño's assumption as barangay chairman of Taluksangay upon the resignation of the former chairman Lilibeth Nuño was valid, Abdurahman Nuño being the duly elected first councilor of said coastal village.

The decision of the Solicitor General in effect validates the chairmanship of Councilor Nuño in the Liga ng mga Barangay. Some sectors say that this implies a longer period for the councilor to gain control of Zamboanga Liga. Others also welcome the SolGen's decision, claiming that Nuño, as the vice-president for Mindanao of the national Liga and as such, has a strong voice in the organization. Coming from a strong Muslim clan in Zamboanga City, his forefathers are among the city's original settlers, as it was his great great grandfather who practically founded Taluksangay and from one generation to the other, the family has molded the community to become what it is now.

But his victory is not Jimenez' defeat. It is actually a win-win situation.

Jimenez being a lawyer knows how valuable it is to be cited from time to time in studies of Philippine election laws. This seemingly is a landmark case, and SolGen Devanadera's contentions will not just be a matter of a layman's opinion but that of a legal authority's. Jimenez will never be forgotten for this, and his concern as a citizen in bringing up this issue actually resolves all doubt and clarifies better section 2 of RA 9164, which limits the terms of councilors.

The people of Taluksangay have their victory, too. Abdurahman Nuño served them well when he was the duly elected barangay chairman, and he will continue to do so after his assumption as the barangay chairman following a short stint as the barangay's first councilor.

The two gentlemen hence deserve a congratulatory shake in the hand. (frencie l. carreon)