UNSPOKEN but iron clad, there’s this underworld pact whispered as Omerta, that translates to the “absolute code of silence” that, although to some limited extent may be acceptable, offers nothing honorable about its true practice.

Essentially, Omerta commits members of a crime syndicate, under pain of death, never to incriminate any of their accomplices, cooperate with with authorities, or reveal any details about the syndicate’s nefarious operations. The ultimate beneficiary of the protection is, of course, the Big Boss himself, the capoditutti capi a.k.a. the Godfather, topmost of the chain from where all corruption trickles down.

Unfortunately, some enterprising local leaders – undoubtedly inspired by the exploits and success of icons of the American underworld – have adopted Omerta and applied its gag rule in city administration. That such a code of silence has been imposed by an elected official is ill-concealed despite couching it in an official memorandum.

Such case is feared to have befallen Dagupan, where the Pangasinan capital city’s Annual Investment Plan for 2012 has been in limbo, and the city budget has been left literally hanging in deathly silent airspace. Curiously, the Sangguaniang Panlungsod – in charge of budget making and review – has been determined and steadfast to pass the budget. So, what’s holding it up?

SP sources told Streetlights that Dagupan Mayor Benjie Lim, in an Omerta-like memorandum, has directed all invitations to the SP en banc meeting be coursed to his office for clearance. No go-signal from Lim, no show. As simple as that.

Then again, resident kibitzer Jose wryly  noted, you can’t blame Lim for issuing the gag order. The last time one of his key officers, Viad Mata (city administrator/Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer) got rolled over live coal, so to speak, for the P10-million calamity fund used up in 2010 and 2011 when no state of calamity was declared in the last two years. So was Mata slammed for failure to explain the award of the multi-million-peso Daongon Ed Dawal  bridge to an alleged favorite contractor of the mayor without benefit of public bidding.

In the meantime, the Dagupan SP – “Thank God for checks and balances,” ejaculates Jose – has been desperately seeking an explanation for other matters: noodles overpriced by 250 percent; a P50-million dredging machine that broke down in just two weeks; street lamps at P20,000 each without public bidding; and, a P100-million-plus fish-processing plant “mysteriously closed down” by the mayor. Is it true somebody wants it privatized?

For his part, Streetlights sources said Mayor Benjie apparently simply wants the SP to just close its eyes, shut up, and sign the city budget. He has since, the standoff on the budget, been making the rounds, soliciting sympathy for having been tied down by the SP from making available the budget needed to help the city residents.

I seriously doubt the good people of Dagupan would be so ignorant as to fall for hizzoner’s spin. How long the impasse and state of Omerta would last is anybody guess. But eventually, the political stench in the capital could be so overwhelming that the enforced silence would break to let it out.