Mayor Osmeña deniesGuardo's accusations

Mayor Tomas Osmeña strongly denied the accusations of congressional aspirant Jonathan Guardo that he used City Hall employees in the campaign sorties of the Bando Osmeña - Pundok Kauswagan.

Osmeña, however, admitted that those City Hall employees who are helping in the BOPK campaign sorties in the barangays are no longer connected with the city government after they resigned or had filed a leave of absence.

Guardo had claimed that they already have the names and photographs of some of the City Hall casual employees who are actively supporting the BOPK and threatened to file criminal and administrative charges against them.

But Osmeña said should Guardo's allegation be proven true, he would stop these City Hall casual employees from engaging in partisan politics.

The mayor, however, said he could not prevent those City Hall employees who decided to help in BOPK's campaign during their leave of absence.

Meanwhile, Civil Service Commission regional director David Cabanag yesterday warned government workers to stay away from partisan politics otherwise they will be violating the law.

Cabanag said the law provides that government employees are prohibited from directly or indirectly engaging in any partisan political activity.

These activities include the holding of political caucuses, conferences, meetings, rallies, parades or other similar assemblies for the purpose of soliciting votes, and undertaking any campaign propaganda for or against a candidate.

Aside from that, government employees are also reminded that the law prohibits them from joining in mass actions that would cause work stoppage during office hours.

Cabanag said violators would be charged with engaging in partisan political activity or grave misconduct, which both carry the penalty of dismissal from the service and perpetual disqualification from entering government service. -Rene U. Borromeo/LPM