Graft raps filed vs Negros vice gov, board members

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr. and all the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) are facing criminal and administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman in Visayas for their alleged failure to grant the fourth tranche of the salary increases and additional bonuses of provincial government employees.

Named respondents in the charges filed by Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) were board members Renato Gustilo, Nehemias dela Cruz,  Salvador Escalante Jr., Miller Serondo, Manuel Frederick Ko, Patrick Lacson, Jose Benito Alonso, Mae Javellana, Emilio Yulo III, Melvin Ibañez, Helen Zafra, Pedro Zayco, Thea Mae Dino, Raul Rivera and George Gitano.

The complainants, who are all PACE officers, did not specify the law allegedly violated by Alvarez and the board members.

PACE chairman Ruben Diamante said since their complaint does not have a precedent case, they leave it to the Ombudsman to determine the appropriate criminal and administrative liabilities of the vice governor and the board members.

The PACE officers filed the complaints after holding protest actions against the provincial board’s non-approval of the province’s annual budget for 2013.

They said the budget included their salary increase and P20,000 additional bonus.

Aside from Diamante, the complainants include Dino Gasendo, Renelo Lastierre, Leo Galvez, Alfredo Dinoy, Ma. Josefa Rosario Cabasac, Nimrod Sarmoy, Edmund Calaor,  Rena Maurine Ga,  Remy Grace Manalo, and Neil Mapa.

The complainants claimed the workers were entitled to a fourth tranche of the salary increase, which should have taken effect last January.

They said they pleaded to the board to approve the budget but their pleas fell on dead ears.