City denies bad faith in employee’s transfer

BACOLOD City Legal officer Joselito Bayatan denied any bad faith on the act of Mayor Evelio Leonardia in transferring Ma. Teresa Lozada from the Population Commission (PopCom) to General Services Office down to Handumanan public cemetery to help serve the funeral needs of the poor people.

Bayatan clarified the issue Monday before the Department of Interior and Local Government which is investigating Lozada’s complaint arising from her transfer. The probe runs until Thursday, July 19.

Lozada filed complaint before the Office of the President and the Civil Service Commission (CSC). But CSC was first to decide on the matter.

Bayatan said the CSC has simplified the issue that if a career employee is re-assigned, it should not go beyond one year. If such reassignment has lapsed, then she should be re-assigned to her original position.

Lozada was first re-assigned to General Services Office.

When the case was pending, the case has outlived the one-year limitation. So the CSC ordered the city to return her to her original position at PopCom.

The city then filed a motion for reconsideration on the ground of habitual tardiness. Later, she was assigned to the Handumanan public cemetery.

Lozada questioned the transfer, which she claimed, was done in bad faith. (Carla N. Canet)