Commission was filed in December and received 25 signatures; withdrawals make the investigation process difficult
The number of councilors who have given up supporting the CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry), of the São Paulo City Council, which intends to investigate the activities of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and Father Júlio Lancellotti in social actions in the center has now reached 10 of the capital of São Paulo. 
The 10 councilors signed the request for the opening of the commission, proposed by the councilor Rubinho Nunes (União Brasil), but, with the negative repercussions on the investigation, they backed down. The CPI was filed on December 6 last year and, according to Nunes, received 25 signatures.
Gilson Barreto (PSDB) was the 10th councilor to withdraw his signature from the CPI. He made a post on his social networks on Wednesday (10.Jan.2024).
“I initially spoke out in favor of the CPI because it is my duty as a councilor to monitor entities, bodies and departments that receive public funds to provide services to the population. However, after better studying the intention and consequences of this initiative, talking to my peers and listening to the voice of the streets, I concluded that the commission would monitor Father Lancellotti's activities without him participating in any agreement with the municipality, and this I can't accept it. The CPI has lost its purpose of looking after public money and there is no reason for it to be installed”highlighted the councilor.
Xexéu Tripoli (PSDB), another councilor who withdrew his signature, said that it is revolting to open a CPI to investigate the religious man. “All my support for Father Júlio Lancelotti and his exemplary humanitarian work, which should not be the target of attacks. I have great admiration for the pastoral work. I do not advocate political persecution of religious leaders. Even more so in these times of hate and resentment on social media.” said on his social networks.
“The investigation of suspected cases of misuse of public resources cannot serve as a pretext for political persecution”he added.
Today, with the withdrawal of 10 councilors, the CPI would not have enough support to be filed, as the approval of 19 councilors is required. However, according to the São Paulo City Council, the withdrawal of signatures from the CPI application has only a symbolic role, and does not prevent the next step towards the establishment of the commission, which is the evaluation at the College of Leaders.
“Only the author can request the withdrawal of the CPI. The withdrawal of signatures from councilors, therefore, is symbolic and does not prevent the next step, which is to analyze the issue in a college of leaders. If there is consensus in the college, the matter goes to the plenary”says the text of the note from the City Council.
However, the withdrawal of signatures shows that the CPI will have difficulty being approved in the Legislative House. In plenary, 2 votes will be necessary: the 1st to approve the creation of a new CPI in the City Council, and the 2nd, to create and install the NGOs' CPI. Both require 28 votes from the 55 councilors in the chamber.
The text of the request for the creation of the CPI does not clearly state which entities and people will be investigated. It only says that it has the purpose of investigating NGOs that “they provide food, utensils for the use of illicit substances and treatment for drug addicts who frequent the Cracolândia region”.
“The activities of these NGOs are not exempt from supervision, making it necessary to create a CPI, especially because some of them often receive public funding to carry out their activities”says the text of the application.
Although Father Júlio Lancellotti's name was not in the CPI's request, the author of the request, Rubinho Nunes, on his social networks, said that the religious would be the target of investigations. “Júlio Lancelotti acts as a pimp, distributes lunch but does nothing to save anyone, these NGOs have the support of politicians, all of this needs to be investigated”.
Through a note, the religious man said that the CPIs are legitimate, but informed that he does not belong “to any civil society organization or non-governmental organization that uses an agreement with the Municipal Public Authority”.
“The activity of Pastoral de Rua is a pastoral action of the Archdiocese of São Paulo which, in turn, is not linked, in any way, to the activities that constitute the approved application for the creation of the CPI in question”he added.
With information from Brazil Agency.
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