Did Alcoy tanods sell their services?

CEBU, Philippines - A businesswoman has filed a criminal complaint before the Office of the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor against barangay tanods of Pasol, Alcoy, Cebu.

Rengie Belda, a resident of Daanglungsod, Alcoy, who owns Bodo’s Bamboo Bar Resort and Restaurant, alleged Christian Rubi and Danilo Abot filed a labor case before the National Labor Relations Commission against her though she did not hire their services.

“…that sometime in the 3rd week of July 2014, I was shocked to receive a complaint from NLRC and it appears that Abot and Rubi filed a complaint for salary differential and dismissal, making it appear that they are bona fide employees of Bodo’s, when in fact from the start, we knew them as barangay tanods in the barangay,” the complaint read.

In her sworn statement, Belda said since her business is new and still coping with economic challenges, she did not hire a licensed security guard to maintain peace and order inside the resort but sought help of their barangay, specifically asking for barangay tanods to roam around the vicinity of her resort.

She said two barangay tanods Abot and Rubi oversaw her resort by visiting it from time to time. But she clarified that she did not consider the two as employees.

Out of courtesy for checking her resort, she gave Abot and Rubi a “token” or a little amount of money for their snacks and for their effort.

Belda also recalled that sometime in July 2014, there was a theft incident in the resort and the investigations led to the preventive suspension of some of her employees.

However, she said she was surprised to learn that Abot and Rubi took the side of her employees, and on the third week of July 2014, she was shocked when she received a complaint from NLRC filed by Abot and Rubi against her.

He said under the law, particularly Republic Act 7613 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials Employees, public employees are not allowed to accept employment as employee in any private enterprise.  (FREEMAN)