Friday, October 20, 2006 Opposition claims mayor has more 'ghost' workers By Lizanilla J. Amarga
CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano has more "ghost employees" at City Hall than Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay who was recently placed under preventive suspension for such a charge, a local opposition leader said Thursday.
But Emano's local allies countered that the local opposition should produce concrete evidence against their PaDayon Pilipino top honcho such as a "list of ghost employees" and file charges against the mayor.
Binay is the leader of the United Opposition, but was recently suspended for allegedly having "ghost employees" in Makati City Hall.
But, former city vice-mayor Antonio Soriano said, "Emano has more ghost employees than Binay. Why not suspend Emano also?"
Kauswagan barangay chairman Roger Abaday for his part said Emano should not be treated as somebody who is untouchable just because he "boot licks" the President.
"No man should be above the law if Emano has violated the law the sword of justice must fall unto them," he said.
Emano with a resolution from the City Council tried to give out perks to its City Hall employees such as additional sacks of rice and extra bonuses among others but were disallowed by the Commission on Audit (COA).
COA said City Hall has already stretched out the allowed 45 percent budget for Personnel Services or the commonly known as "PS Limit" for hiring too many workers, which is why such benefits should be refunded.
Documents
Also, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently announced that government workers should be given P1,000 per month additional compensation (AdCom) effective January 1, 2006.
A memorandum from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) was then issued to guide government agencies and local units for this P1,000 per month AdCom that became the basis of Emano and the council increasing the City Hall employees' compensation.
Yet, the DBM just last month disallowed the P1,000 per month AdCom as City Hall has already extended its PS Limit. It also ordered the City Hall employees to refund the P1,000 per month given to them.
But Emano's close ally Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) chairman Councilor Alexander Dacer said the opposition should produce the necessary documents to prove that indeed the Emano Administration is employing "ghost employees."
Dacer challenged the opposition to show evidence against Emano -- even a "list of ghost employees" at the City Hall as alleged by these critics.
"They should prove it not just fabricate these accusations against the mayor," he said.
Dacer also denied they have gone beyond their allowed 45 percent PS Limit as their attention to this irregularity would have been immediately called by the DBM or other concerned agencies.
Culprit
He said they implemented the P1,000 per month AdCom because they believe this is allowed.
"We did not know that the PS Limit requirement will be the basis in increasing the salaries of the City Hall employees," he said.
Councilor Edgar Cabanlas for his part said, "If there were ghost employees, the opposition should have filed a case against the mayor. Many would have provided them information since Mayor Emano is strict with the employees in the City Hall."
Soriano said all local government units have "ghost employees" and they take on the form of "intelligence officers" to gather information and other confidential staff to mention a few.
"In fact, the number one culprit in having ghost employees is the Office of the President and I do not blame them for this, but why only suspend Binay?," he said.
He added that no due process was accorded to the Makati City Mayor and that the latter's suspension indeed is "pure political harassment" and if Malacañang is indeed not into "selective suspension" it should also suspend Emano just like what it did to Binay.
(October 20, 2006 issue) Write letter to the editor. Click here. Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here.
