Friday, February 17, 2006
Mayor suspends 2 city gov't workers
By Roberto L. Bacasong
BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia imposed Thursday a three-month suspension without pay against Assistant City Engineer Joel Locsin and foreman Raymundo Dumdum.
The two were found liable for dishonesty in an investigation conducted by City Legal Officer Allan Zamora.
It appeared that they have had a hand in the hiring of a worker who had died months before the actual dredging project was implemented in Barangay 15 last year.
The order also "admonished" City Engineer Loreto Dilag, telling him to closely monitor the project implementation policies and practices of his department.
Cashier Bernard Samonte Jr., who was also implicated in the case, was freed of any administrative liability.
The suspensions stemmed from the inclusion of the name of Francis Bajador, a 37-year-old man from Purok Kingfisher, Barangay 16 in the July 1 to 14, 2005 payroll of the City Engineer's Office.
Bajador died about five months before that payroll was submitted and before the project was implemented.
However, it was made to appear that he secured a residence certificate and collected the P80 a day allowance given by the City Government.
In his decision, Leonardia said that both Locsin and Dumdum were "dishonest."
He adopted the findings of City Legal Officer Allan Zamora who, along with legal officers Ma. Gliceria Caduhada and Bartolome Malde Jr., probed the reported anomalies in the implementation of the project for rehabilitation, dredging, and declogging of the Maupay Creek, Barangay 15, Bacolod City.
Leonardia though credited the earlier month-long preventive suspension imposed on Locsin and Dumdum.
As for Dilag, the mayor concurred that he could not be entirely taken off the hook.
"While we cannot hold Dilag liable for the dishonesty committed by his subordinates, (he) being the department head (has the) duty to look into and monitor the policies and practices being implemented by his department," the decision read in part.
"We find him (Dilag) liable for simple neglect of duty under the Principle of Command Responsibility. We want him to be reminded of the importance of the high sense of duty," the decision read further.
Zamora had issued a 30-day suspension without pay against Dumdum and Locsin last November 23, 2005.
Samonte was also ordered relieved from his post at the City Treasurer's office for releasing payroll funds to only one claimant or signatory.
The earlier findings made by Zamora showed that Samonte allowed the release of P56,000 to a certain Marianne Bantigue.
Bantigue is a job order casual assigned at the City Engineer's Office.
(February 17, 2006 issue)
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