Mayor orders reshuffling of 25 treasurer’s office personnel

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio ordered the reshuffling of key personnel affecting district and division offices under the City Treasurer's Office (CTO) last December 12.

Immediately after Mayor Duterte-Carpio ordered the re-assignment of 25 heads of district and division officers, city treasurer Rodrigo Riola filed a one-month sick leave last December 13, or a day after the reassignment was ordered.

Mayor Duterte-Carpio and Riola had a falling out last December when the latter refused to initially certify City Hall's proposed Supplemental Budget (SB) 3, which contains the Christmas bonus for the City Government employees and Pasko Fiesta.

Riola eventually certified a revised SB 3 amounting to P397 million and was passed on third and final reading by the City Council just days before Christmas.

The mayor confirmed Riola's sick leave Thursday, but couldn't say if he had planned to eventually quit his post.

Duterte-Carpio said she wanted to maintain professionalism at her work despite issues between her and Riola.

"I just keep my thoughts about him to myself. I just want to work with or without his support," Duterte-Carpio told Sun.Star Davao in a text message when asked if she is still mad at Riola.

A least 25 heads were affected by the re-assignment of personnel of the district and division offices, which are all under Riola.

Erwin Alparaque, chief of City Hall's Human Resource and Management Office (HRMO), confirmed that the city treasurer is on sick leave from December 17, 2012 to January 16.

In the meantime, Alparaque said the Department of Finance-Bureau of Local Government Finance named assistant city treasurer Anastacio Jardin as the acting city treasurer.

He said the revamp might have any connection with the alleged "corruption." However, he refused to elaborate.

Alpaaraque said the issues on the alleged plans of resignation of Riola are all hearsays.

"I do not know how reliable those statements are. There are no official words from Mr. Riola," he said.

The mayor, on the other hand, said: "Last nako nadungog ato September, nag ingun siya nga kung mudagan ko usab, mag resign siya. After filing of candidacy, wala nako kadungog (The last time I heard was last September. He said that when I seek re-election he will resign. After the filing of candidacy, I never heard (him saying he will resign)," the mayor said.

Duterte-Carpio also denied planning to have Riola investigated.