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Wednesday, June 07, 2006
PB confused: Did it endorse Parohinog?
The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) is now confused whether they have made an endorsement for Purita Parohinog to the position of customs collector of the Port of Cebu.
PB Members Victor Maambong and Jose Mari Gastardo believe the resolution endorsing Parohinog was approved in last Monday’s session but the endorsement will only be released after she has met with the board members in a caucus.
But for Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. and PB Member Agnes Mag-pale, the resolution was deferred until Parojinog appears before them.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia is keeping her hands off the issue.
She said resolutions like endorsements, commendation and those expressing condolence do not need her signature.
“What’s the point? I can’t veto such kind of resolutions,” she said.
She confirmed that Parohinog solicited her support but she told her that she does not meddle in such matters “because it’s a very hotly contested and highly sensitive position. I don’t know why.”
Garcia also has not indicated any support for the incumbent Port of Cebu Collector Lourdes Manga-oang but she clarified that Mangaoang did not ask for her support.
Mangaoang enjoys the support of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Reps. Antonio Cuenco and Raul del Mar and the business and brokers’ sectors.
Cuenco, in a radio dyLA interview yesterday, said Mangaoang is more qualified than Parohinog, who visited him in his Cebu City residence and his office in Congress to ask for his support.
Meanwhile, the human resource management and development (HRMD) office of the BOC in Manila said Parohinog is not even a collector 1, the lowest rank of customs collectors, so she is not qualified to become collector 6, the position of the district collector of the Port of Cebu.
However, HRMD Chief Erlinda Lazaro said a customs commissioner may designate Parohinog as district collector, but it will be at the risk of violating the Civil Service Commission rules and regulations.
District Collector Lowell Medija of the Port of Tacloban said that contrary to earlier reports, Parohinog has not been a collector in Tacloban and as far as he knows, Parohinog has not been designated as district collector in any port of the country.
Catalina Sanglap, chief of the personnel division of the Port of Iloilo, said Parohinog was once designated by then commissioner Antonio Bernardo as deputy collector for operations in that port, but only for more than two months, from Jan. 27-April 3, 2003, after which she was placed on “floating status.”
HRMD records showed that Parohinog’s plantilla position is “supervising customs operations officer.” After three years of being “frozen” at HRMD, Parohinog was designated by Commissioner Napoleon Morales as acting chief of the Entry Processing Unit at the Port of Manila last March 27, 2006.
For his part, Mayor Osmeña said that if politicians succeed in having Mangaoang transferred, he will scrutinize the selection of her replacement.
The mayor is wary about the possible effects of the change in leadership at the BOC on the illegal drugs problem in Cebu.
“Fair is fair, I didn’t endorse Mangaoang but she got in so she stays,” Osmeña said.
In a news conference yesterday, Osmeña said he does not like the idea that politicians from other places can meddle in local affairs, including the selection of BOC officials.
“It’s okay to me if they endorse some individuals but there’s tremendous pressure and jockeying to replace Mangaoang and that’s the reason I don’t want her replaced, because now it has nothing to do with performance already but just palakasan (power play),” he added.
Mangaoang was relieved earlier this year but Finance Secretary Margarito Teves later issued a status quo order after local leaders, including Osmeña, opposed her replacement, Collector Gracia Zuño Caringal.
At Capitol, Maambong said it does not matter whether the board has endorsed Parohinog or not.
He said they can always withdraw their endorsement if their meeting with her in a caucus will not be favorable.
Maambong admitted that he is convinced that Parojinog is qualified for the position but if there are documents that can prove that she is facing charges, he will be humble enough to withdraw his support.
The resolution, sponsored by PB Members Raul Bacaltos, Juan Bolo, Antonio Almirante and Joven Mondigo, states that the position of collector 6 at the Port of Cebu has been vacant.
Collector Tomas Villaruz was the last person holding the position but he was not actually assigned to the Port of Cebu because he was detailed to the Port of Manila.
Collector 6 is a presidential appointee position and since Villaruz, no one has been appointed to the position.
The collectors assigned at the Port of Cebu were only designated, including Mangaoang.
Mangaoang and Parohinog both applied for the post.
During last Monday’s session, Vice Governor Sanchez expressed reservations on the endorsement, saying it would be better for them to check her status with the Civil Service Commission, and if she is not facing any pending case.
The minutes of the session show that it was Maambong who moved for the amendment of the resolution because of Sanchez’s questions.
“May I move Mr. Chairman to amend the resolution to consider this approved after she has appeared. So only after the caucus should we release the resolution of endorsement. That would strike a compromise between the view of the chair and the author,” Maambong said, based on the transcript of the proceedings.
Then, Sanchez as the presiding officer said, “There is a motion to amend the resolution to invite Ms. Purita Parojinog during our caucus and then after which we will take this resolution. Is there any objection to the amendment? There being none, the motion to amend the resolution is hereby carried.”
Sanchez had confirmed that Parohinog solicited their endorsement and the resolution was set for discussion two weeks ago.
But they deferred it because Sanchez said they did not want to be in conflict with other groups endorsing Mangaoang.
Mangaoang in an interview last Monday said that it is the PB’s prerogative to make such endorsement but the members should check Parohinog’s background. (MBG/EOB/LCR/JST)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 7, 2006 issue)
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