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Thursday, November 11, 2004
Leonardia orders suspension of aide for ID racket
By Roberto L. Bacasong
MAYOR Evelio Leonardia ordered the suspension of Executive Assistant Romeo Escalona for ten days for his involvement in the controversial production of senior citizens identification cards.
The mayor, in his four-page memorandum order, said Escalona failed to observe the specifications for such identification cards that "speaks of negligence for which he (Escalona) must be held accountable."
City Legal Officer Allan Zamora, who conducted the investigation, though considered Escalona's admission of his link to the ID production as a mitigating factor.
In his October 28 memorandum, Leonardia directed Escalona to explain in writing his participation in the printing and issuance of the IDs.
Escalona submitted his explanation report last Nov. 3.
He admitted that he facilitated the printing and issuance of the IDs in good faith and in the honest belief that such printing and issuance will help the senior citizens avail of privileges.
Escalona denied the allegations that he sold the IDs to the senior citizens.
He also admitted that he failed to comply with the specifications as mandated and that after he was informed about such fact, he immediately stopped the issuance of the IDs.
"In the course of the investigation conducted, not one single senior citizen appeared to claim that Escalona sold to them (senior citizens) the IDs," the report of the City Legal Office revealed.
On the other hand, the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs asserted they received the IDs from Escalona although they have not paid for it.
Zamora said: "Escalona by his admission facilitated the printing of the IDs without prior authority from the mayor."
The printed IDs, the CLO added, did not conform to the specifications as required by law and there is no evidence that the latter sold to the senior citizens the IDs.
Zamora noted, however, that Escalona, notwithstanding his claim, may have acted in good faith and may have been motivated with honest intention.
"In the absence of any contrary evidence, this office cannot do otherwise but sustain the proposition that Escalona may have acted in good faith and with an honest intention when he facilitated the printing of the subject IDs," Zamora said.
Mortuary service fees
Councilor Catalino Alisbo, chairman of the committee on senior citizens affairs, on the other hand, denied the claim of Escalona that he (councilor) was collecting the P150 for the payment for the Federation of Senior Citizens of Bacolod City (FSCBC).
The amount reportedly go to the Mortuary Insurance of members, P25 for the membership and P25 is for the IDs.
"I am doing these things for the protection of my fellow elders. I will not tolerate the illegal acts of Escalona with the two casual employees, Andy Cabaobao and Abbie Cademas," Alisbo said.
As to the sanctions for Cabaobao and Cademas, the city government was not yet certain as of this writing.
Alisbo said paying the P100 mortuary insurance is not mandatory which means members of the senior citizens may have other options for their burial services not only at the Alisbo Memorial Chapels.
(November 11, 2004 issue)
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