PTA denies report on chief

Philippine Tourism Authority lawyer Teodoro Hernandez denied yesterday that a Manila court stopped PTA General Manager Robert Dean S. Barbers from proceeding with charges of insubordination against 10 PTA employees.

Hernandez also debunked allegations that Barbers was ordered by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Nabong to appear in court within 20 days to face the employees’ counter charges against him.

Instead, he clarified that Nabong deferred the hearing of the case until Barbers is available to appear in his sala. Barbers was not present in the May 23 hearing because he was in Cebu City on official business.

Barbers filed a case of insubordination against the employees for their failure to report to his office last Feb. 11. It took him 90 days before he filed an administrative case against these employees due to humanitarian reasons.

The employees, on the other hand, named Barbers as respondent to their charges of gross abuse of authority and discretion.

"We would like to inform the public that the articles that have appeared in several broadsheets and tabloids in the last two weeks are either contradictory or were never mentioned in the court order issued by Judge Nabong. These news items, in effect, has put the court in a bad light. It is most likely that the press release came from people who are out to distort the facts of the case and to destroy the good image and intensions of our new GM," Hernandez said.

"Since the case is still pending in court, published articles of this nature is contrary to the principles of sub judice," he added.