Thursday, October 04, 2007 Capitol dismisses Iturriaga By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.
DOCTOR Vicente “Itik” Iturriaga is unfazed of the Capitol’s order dismissing him from the service as medical specialist II at the Teresita Jalandoni Memorial Hospital in Silay City.
The dismissal order was based on Iturriaga’s alleged violation of grave misconduct in the service. However the dismissal order has no effectivity date.
Iturriaga said, "I will appeal the order because I have not made any violation. And as long as my stethoscope is still around my neck, I will perform my duty."
Earlier, Iturriaga was suspended for 60 days since June 8 to August 8 last year on governor’s order.
The suspension stemmed from complaints filed against him, including the alleged collection of fees from patients in conducting surgery while using government facilities and performing the act during government hour.
Iturriaga, however, denied the charges. Instead he accused his co-doctors as having plotted the baseless allegations against him.
He added that the complaints were questionable based on the dates they were filed.
Iturriaga identified Drs. Ma. Estrella Ledesma, chief of hospital and Nestor Amante, chief surgeon, both at TJMH as among his co-doctors who allegedly plotted the accusations against him.
On the other hand, Iturriaga said Marañon has no jurisdiction on the case filed against him based on the Magna Carta of 1999 for medical health practitioners.
It is only the Civil Service Commission (CSC) that has the jurisdiction over it, he stressed.
Iturriaga said as soon as they have prepared all the documents, he will be calling for a press conference to present his side and to prove his innocence on the charges.
