Dismissed Talisay JOs reinstated

CEBU, Philippines – Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes yesterday reinstated the six job order employees working under the quota of suspended City Councilor Socrates Fernandez.

"Ato nang gi-reinstate ang unom ka mga job order ug makabalik na sila sa trabaho," De los Reyes told reporters after his closed door meeting with Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante.

Under Department of Interior and Local Government Opinion No. 17, series of 2010, the mayor has the authority to hire casual employees not provided for in the sanggunian plantilla, as long as they are hired through job order contracts.

De los Reyes earlier ordered the removal of Fernandez's six job order workers when the councilor was ordered suspended for three months after the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas found him guilty of simple negligence.

But a DILG-7 official said even though the mayor has the right to fire and hire job order employees at the City Hall, the suspension should not be used as a reason to terminate his contractual workers.

De los Reyes said he already tasked Villarante determine where the six job order workers will be assigned.

"Di sila mabalaka, wala man sila'y labot sa suspension. Ako nang gi-request si Vice Mayor to let them report back to work," De los Reyes said.

The DILG on February 13 served the Ombudsman order suspending Fernandez for three months for an infraction during his stint as mayor.

Last year, the Ombudsman found Socrates guilty of simple neglect of duty for allowing a City Hall employee to use a government vehicle without a trip ticket on September 13, 2010.

In her decision, graft investigation and prosecution officer Maria Corazon Vergara-Naraja said, "clearly, respondent transgressed the aforementioned law and rules by allowing (Benedict) Gabasa on September 13, 2010, to drive a government vehicle without a driver's license and without any trip ticket."

"His failure to ensure that only a licensed driver would drive the government vehicle issued to him reflects a neglectful attitude and a flagrant disregard of his responsibility as head of office," Naraja said further.