JVR: Ombuds finds no slip in my SALN

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes yesterday heaved a sigh of relief after the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas clarified there was no violation on the non-inclusion of his relatives allegedly working at the City Hall in his 2013 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

"Dako kaayo akong kalipay nga mismo ang Ombudsman maoy miingon nga wala'y kalapasan nga akong nabuhat sa wala pag-apil sa mga pangalan sa akong mga paryente nga nag-trabaho isip mga job order workers," De los Reyes told The Freeman.

In his 2013 SALN, the mayor listed only two relatives working with him at City Hall. They are his son John Yre as city administrator and daughter Irish May Racaza, who works as the mayor's executive assistant.

Prior to that, the Office of the Ombudsman said De los Reyes committed perjury when he failed to list the names of his relatives working with him at City Hall.

But the camp of De los Reyes insisted there is nothing irregular with the mayor's non-inclusion of his relatives' names on the SALN because job order employees, as per Civil Service Commission, are not considered government employees.

De los Reyes said in an interview that city legal officer Alfredo Sipalay went to the Public Assistant Corruption and Preventive Office of the Ombudsman explaining their opinion over non-inclusion of relatives working at City Hall.

De los Reyes said he feels vindicated over the issue since his detractors are using it against him. "Naklaro na gyud ang kamatuoran," the mayor said.

The mayor said his relatives are only employed as job order workers.

Under the SALN law, each government employee is also asked to identify his relatives up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity in the government service.

Section 9, Rule XIII of the 1998 Memorandum Circular No. 40 the Civil Service Commission, which provides the "Revised Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Personnel Actions, has nothing to do with the non-inclusion of the mayor's relatives in his SALN. (FREEMAN)