Iced John Hay workers appeal to Aquino

Saturday, January 28, 2012

SUSPENDED employees are seeking intervention from President Benigno Aquino III.

Iced media relations officer of John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) Arthur Odsey filed a complaint for illegal suspension at the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), as well as a letter seeking the help of the President to suspend after JHMC director and acting president Jamie Eloise Manzano-Agbayani.

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On Tuesday, Agbayani ordered a 30-day suspension Tuesday of Odsey for his alleged breach of the JHMC Code of Discipline punishable by termination.

Lawyer Mary Bayang said the suspension notice was issued without due process because the recipients were not informed of any specific act that may have constituted a violation of the JHMC Code of Discipline. “We are putting forward at this time to support our request for immediate preventive suspension of Dr. Agabyani.”

Bayang stated in the letter to the President that suspension of Mita Dimalanta, JHMC vice president, is also sought, saying both she and Agbayani connived to suppress the rights of complainants and caused harassment and intimidation.

The complainants have likewise filed a case against Dimalanta before Dole while a hearing is scheduled for February 2.

The group is also preparing criminal charges against Agbayani for the seizure of employee computers and their abrupt suspension.

Odsey belongs to a group of seventeen who filed before the Ombudsman and the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines a complaint against Agbayani for excessive spending of government funds. (Ma. Elena Catajan)