“Ghost Buster Stations” snubbed

The so-called “Ghost Buster Stations” in Mandaue City, intended to properly register job order workers to fast track the release of their salary, seemed to have failed after no one filed a registration yesterday.

Yet Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said the setting up of the stations “was a valid exercise of the Council to get to the bottom of determining the job orders of the city” because the councilors were not given the list until late yesterday afternoon.

Fortuna also fired at the removal of the stations reportedly without the council’s consent, as well as the outburst Jimmy Basquez, a member of the “council or elders” who allegedly banged a table at the second floor of the City Hall where personnel of the Sangguniang Panglungsod were situated.

Basquez’ action reportedly threatened the personnel of the Sangguniang Panglungsod but Basquez said what he did was not harassment but a challenge.

In a statement the other day, Fortuna said the “Ghost Buster Stations” is an effort of the council to assist Cortes in producing documents that would hasten the release of the supplemental budget, which includes, among others, P35 million for the salaries of job order employees.

“The planned rally was our opportunity to verify the job orders of the city, hence, we find actuations of taking out the stations without our consent and the outburst of a council of elder condemnable and inconsistent in their being transparent,” Fortuna said.

Meanwhile, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes insisted the putting up of the stations was “a clear encroachment of the executive power.” — Joy Kareen T. Saliente/JMO