Marathon hearings on Sanchez's petition

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Interior and Local Government has set a three-day marathon hearing on the petition filed by late Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez, Jr. seeking reprieve from “acts of usurpations” allegedly being done by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and other Capitol officials.

Sanchez’s daughter, Engr. Grecilda Zaballero, in a press conference yesterday showed to the media a letter dated May 23, 2011 signed by DILG Legal Service Director III Jesus Doque IV setting the said hearing.

The preliminary conference and formal investigation of the case has been scheduled on June 6 at 2:00 in the afternoon and on June 7 to 9, 2011 at 9:00 in the morning up to 5:00 in the afternoon at the DILG regional office in Cebu City.

“Please be ready with your documentary evidence and prepare sworn statements of your witnesses which shall constitute as their direct testimonies,” Doque told Zaballero in a letter.

Zaballero believed the hearing is the offshoot of their talks between President Benigno Aquino III during the wake of her father when she turned over documents attached in the petition.

Garcia, on the other hand, told reporters yesterday that she is yet to receive the said notice but she will act accordingly.

Asked if she will attend personally the hearing, Garcia said it will depend on whose presence is required, may be or not her presence maybe represented.

The other respondents are provincial legal officer Marino Martinquilla, provincial administrator Eduardo Habin, treasurer Roy Salubre, assistant treasurer Emmanuel Guial and human resource management officer Noli Vincent Valencia.

Sanchez had asked DILG to order the respondents to cease and desist from committing the alleged “acts of usurpations,” one of which is the arbitrary move of Garcia in 2007 of taking over the signing of the appointments of 18 contractual employees and 39 casual employees assigned to the Office of the Vice Governor.

Sanchez also complained against the issuance of a cease and desist memorandum against the employees. 

Citing the Local Government Code of 1991, Garcia claimed earlier she stood by her “right” to appoint all officials and employees whose salaries and wages are wholly or mainly paid out of provincial funds to which Sanchez also claimed right over.

Aside from the appointment of the employees, Garcia also slashed the budget of the vice governor’s office to P18 million from the previous P45 million in the proposed 2011 annual budget of P3 billion.

Sanchez said the move topped all encroachments of legislative powers by the governor.

Garcia also ordered to stop the publication of the “Legislative Gavel,” the newsletter of the Provincial Board, saying it is duplicating “Sugbo” magazine, which is under the Office of the Governor.

But Sanchez insists the two publications are “very different” because they reflect “two very different and separate departments.”

Furthermore, Sanchez complained against the governor’s hiring of consultants without authority from the Provincial Board.

Sanchez also raised to DILG the governor’s issuance of P20 million check to then Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro as donation for the victims of typhoon Ondoy when the Provincial Board only authorized P10 million.  (FREEMAN)