Both Mayor Carmen Cari of Baybay in Leyte and Fe Abunda of Borongan, Eastern Samar said the LCP should respect the decision of the high tribunal.

“What the LCP is doing is already bullying the justices of the Supreme Court. They should instead accept the decision and stop doing acts that could only lead to commotion,” Cari said in a phone interview.

Abunda, who is in her first term, appealed to the LCP to stop their moves against the 16 new cities.

“Just like us, they were once municipalities. They sought for their cityhood knowing the fact that they can achieve development as a city,” Abunda said.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said the LCP should stop “bullying” the high tribunal because they were destroying an institution just for the sake of protecting their respective shares of the internal revenue allotment.

“We should allow poor municipalities to develop and the cities should allow them to grow because there is enough room for all of them,” said Evardone.

In a press conference, Leyte Rep. Jose Carlos Cari said the main reason why the high court was perceived to have flip-flopped over the case was the retirement of 23 magistrates since the LCP opposed the new cities four years ago.

3 reversals

The SC has ruled four times and reversed itself three times on the case. Its latest ruling issued on Feb. 15 upheld the cityhood of 16 municipalities.

Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas said disgruntled city mayors have launched a propaganda attack based on lies meant to embarrass the justices to force them to change their minds.

The LCP has opposed the conversion of the 16 municipalities into cities, claiming they do not meet the P100-million income required for cities.

However, Cari and Abunda insisted their revenues meet the requirement.

After Wednesday’s protest-march, dubbed “Flip-Flop Outrage,” to the Supreme Court, the LCP filed a motion for reconsideration asking the high court to uphold its original ruling on the cityhood case.

The court’s original ruling issued on Nov. 18, 2008 was declared as unconstitutional series of laws passed by the 13th Congress converting the 16 municipalities into cities.

But this was reversed by the Supreme Court on Dec. 21, 2009 which declared the cityhood laws as constitutional.

On Aug. 24, 2010, the high court again reversed itself and upheld its original ruling.

Last Feb. 15, the Supreme Court declared the creation of the 16 new cities as constitutional.

Mayor Oscar Rodriguez of San Fernando, Pampanga and president of LCP, said the flip-flopping of the high court is unprecedented in the history of the Philippine judiciary.

“It (flip-flopping) creates a perception that our Supreme Court justices are not studying the cases carefully and meticulously,” said Rodriguez, who is himself a lawyer.

LCP secretary general Hernani Braganza said that the city mayors were considering declaring a one-day National Day of Prayers and Protest in all cities nationwide.

Joey Gabieta & Gil Cabacungan, Jr. Phil. Daily Inquirer