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Thursday, September 07, 2006
Employees blame Mary Ann, call her ‘trouble-maker’
All rank-and-file employees of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) 7 rallied behind Director Geronimo Rosas and tagged Assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro as a “troublemaker” and “lady of darkness.”
Rosas said he is not tolerating shenanigans in his office, contrary to what Castro told the media and her allegations that his subordinates do not issue official receipts.
However, he refused to comment on Castro’s latest charges against them with the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas because they have no copy yet of the complaint; they only read about it in the newspapers.
“We will answer her complaint in a proper forum,” Rosas said.
Castro, who was detailed to the BI 7 office, filed a libel case before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office against 13 staffers of Rosas, for allegedly circulating a four-page petition that asked for her pullout from the office.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr., though, has moved Castro to the Iloilo City office of the immigration bureau. She is also being investigated for alleged “meddling” in the Cebu City office’s affairs outside her assignment.
Lawyer Brandon Enad said Castro’s filing of libel charges against his colleagues by batches is malicious, because only one petition for her transfer was the basis.
He said that 58 immigration agents filed a petition for the transfer of Castro, addressed to the justice secretary.
He said that of the 58 signatories, Castro filed libel charges last month against 10 employees, including his father, lawyer Leobarlo Enad, and Melanie Ouano, daughter-in-law of Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano.
Last Tuesday, Castro filed libel charges against 13 others, including Brandon.
Melanie said they believe the complaints and affidavits of the persons who allegedly have grievances against the bureau were prepared by Castro.
“These are clearly harassment suits because she could not just choose whom to prosecute. Under the rules on criminal procedure, all those who have allegedly committed a crime should be charged all in one complaint, not on staggered basis,” Enad said.
The petition accused Castro of rumor-mongering, meddling in the investigation of complaints against foreigners and illegally hiring a member of her support staff.
Lawyer Serafin Abellon, BI 7 special prosecutor, said he is one of the signatories of the petition against Castro, which they considered “privileged communication” because they were just telling Gonzalez their sentiment. (EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 7, 2006 issue)
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