In a motion, lawyer Erwin Layug, Lipa City legal officer, argued that the reassignment of the nine employees to the "special study committee" did not violate civil service rules.
Layug cited the 1997 Revised Administrative Code which, he said, allows such a reassignment provided it does not entail any reduction in rank, status or salary.
CSC regional director Rebecca Fernandez reinstated the nine employees to their former positions, saying their transfer was illegal and politically motivated because they were deprived of their workplace and office equipment.
Santos has strongly denied the allegations. "They are not my enemies. I just want to run my administration with the people I can rely on and who are willing to cooperate," she said.
Santos "temporarily relieved" the nine employees in her first administrative order this year.
Layug said Santos did not intend to isolate them because they were given a definite period — six months — to finish their work program.
The nine were city personnel officer Ronald de Castro, farm supervisor Hernando Cator, community development officer Gerardo Espeso, administrative officer Edgardo Latina, assistant community affairs officer Ricardo Libon, market inspector Luisito Mayo, social welfare officer Meynard Melo, public information officer Rolando Sarmiento and human resources officer Ronald Politico. — Arnell Ozaeta