What began as a sober discussion on the wave of bomb threats terrorizing Iloilo City schools exploded into a fiery showdown at the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Wednesday, Nov. 19, when Councilor Romel Duron publicly called out Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna for what he branded as pure political theatrics.

The tension snapped the moment Cabaluna tried to push a spur-of-the-moment resolution asking the Department of Communications and Technology (DICT), National Telecommunications Commisison (NTC), National Bureau Imvesrigation (NBI), and Facebook owner META to give the Iloilo City Police Office immediate technical backup in tracking down bomb-threat culprits.

Duron was having none of it.

He shot up from his seat and declared: “Out of order already! There’s already a proposed ordinance for first reading, and all of a sudden you will just allow him to pass a resolution? He’s not even the one who delivered the privilege speech. He’s out of order.”

Then came the jab heard across the session hall: “Pang-agaw eksena na na ya imo. It’s not correct.”

Duron insisted that if Cabaluna wanted a resolution, he should have placed it on the agenda and give the council copies beforehand.

But Cabaluna refused to back down, firing back with his own interpretation of the rules: “Wala man sa ila rules nga ang nag-privilege speech lang amo ang maka-corollary motion.”

He argued that the city needed action now, not next week.

“Emergency kun tani. Ini nga butang nagakinahanglan sang immediate response,” Cabaluna said.

All this unfolded right after Councilor Rudolph Jeffrey Ganzon delivered a tense privilege speech on the bomb threats that have disrupted classes, sowed fear among students and teachers, and forced multiple evacuations.

Ganzon’s proposed ordinance – “Providing Measures Against False Public Safety Alerts in Iloilo City and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof” – smoothly passed first reading.

Cabaluna’s urgent resolution? Left hanging in midair.

The clash laid bare what the bomb threats themselves already revealed: tensions are rising, nerves are fraying, and even inside the city’s legislative hall, pressure is starting to blow.IMT