Employees want Tudela officials cited in contempt

CEBU, Philippines - Despite order from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to reinstate employees terminated by its former mayor, the Municipality of Tudela allegedly failed to do so, prompting the employees to seek refuge with the court.

Former municipal treasurer Angelita Roble, former accounting clerk Liliosa Labayan, former revenue collection clerk Josephine Montes and former administrative aide Brenda Calinawan filed a case for indirect contempt against Mayor Erwin Yu and Human Resources Management Officer Aracelie Tudtud.

They said that Yu and Tudtud’s alleged refusal to heed the CSC order brought them financial crises. They said they are the breadwinners of their families.

“The municipal mayor willfully refuses to implement the final resolution/decision of the Civil Service Commission to the prejudice of the public service and the affected parties,” the petitioners said.

The petition was raffled off to Judge Estela Alma Singco of Regional Trial Court Branch 12.

It was former Tudela Mayor Demetrio Granada who issued the memoranda that terminated the petitioners in 2010. The petitioners’ complaint, however, did not clearly state the reason behind their termination.

Petitioners said they appealed Granada’s memoranda, which Yu forwarded to CSC. The CSC subsequently granted their appeals and set aside Granada’s memoranda.

In a decision dated January 5, 2011, CSC-7 Director Judith Chicano directed the municipality of Tudela to reinstate Labayan, Montes, Roble and Calinawan into their respective jobs, along with payments of their back wages and other benefits from the date they were terminated.

Yu appealed the decision, but the CSC denied the same. In a decision dated June 17, 2011, the commission also granted the petitioners’ motion to execute the decision and reinstate them immediately. – (FREEMAN)