Thursday, April 12, 2007 Another Ouano ally quits By Aledel Gonzalez-Cuizon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
A KNOWN Ouano loyalist resigned from his job at the Mandaue City Hall while another worker at the Office of the Mayor also took a leave of absence after Vice Mayor Amadeo Seno Jr. assumed the mayorship last week.
During his visit to the Human Resources Management Office (HRMO) yesterday morning, Seno found out that Nerito Martinez resigned from his post while Johnny Icalina went on leave.
Martinez, whose original item in the plantilla is security officer, is a close-in aide of the Ouanos.
Icalina, also a security officer, is the brother-in-law of suspended mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano.
Instead of having the department heads make a courtesy call to his office, Seno visited four City Hall departments yesterday, including the HRMO, the local office of the Department of Interior and Local Government, City Planning and Development Office and the City Treasurer’s Office.
Cooperation
His fellow mayoral aspirant Magno Dionson was also inside City Treasurer Lorna Atega’s office when he arrived.
After a friendly handshake and a brief exchange of pleasantries with Dionson, Seno moved on to the cash division.
Seno told the employees in the offices he visited that he just wants their cooperation to ensure that operations at City Hall return to normal.
He said that work activities at City Hall should be purely professional and no politics should be involved.
Martinez told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday that he resigned from his post because he wants to campaign for Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano, who is running for mayor.
He fears he will be cited for electioneering if he doesn’t resign.
In 2000, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) suspended Martinez for two months for preparing and accomplishing the certificate of candidacy of Teddy in 1998.
Martinez, however, was eventually cleared of misconduct but was warned to refrain from committing acts that will “create an impression of being engaged in partisan political activity.”
In an interview, Seno said he is calling on City Hall employees not to be involved in partisan politics. He said the employees should instead focus on ensuring orderly operations at City Hall.
CSC rules and the Omnibus Election Code prohibit government employees from directly or indirectly engaging in any partisan political activity.
Aside from Martinez, market supervisor Antonio Taylo also tendered his resignation last week.
On leave
Seno had recalled the leave of absence of City Administrator Serafin Blanco, City Attorney Erwin Rommel Heyrosa, Human Resource Officer Janet Trinidad and Frank Guillena of the Housing and Urban Development Office.
Emmarie Dolores Ouano-Dizon and Cheryl Ouano, who are executive secretaries at the Office of the Mayor, went on indefinite leave.
Damian Enriquo “Kookie” Ouano, deputy executive director of the Traffic Enforcement Development and Management (Tedman), also went on leave and designated Tedman public information officer Domingo Cortes as officer-in-charge. Kookie is Teddy’s nephew.
Cortes said yesterday that at least 15 traffic enforcers of Tedman went on leave when Teddy’s suspension order was implemented last week.
Despite the personnel’s absence, he assured that traffic management will run smoothly and that traffic enforcers will be asked to focus on major intersections. Tedman enforcers on motorcycles will also be asked to help.
Cortes said that traffic enforcers are on a no-work-no-pay basis.
He also said that he was supposed to process his papers for his terminal leave benefits at the Office of the Mayor last week but he was surprised to be given a recommendation for him to be OIC of Tedman, which was approved by Teddy.
Cortes, 65, said he plans to retire from service this year.
At the treasurer’s office yesterday, Dionson personally inquired about the loans the City Government has incurred.
He said that if it is true that the City’s borrowings have reached some P1 billion, a lot of officials will have to explain.
Dionson also criticized his other opponents in this year’s mayoral race.
He said that Seno and Councilors Jonas Cortes and Glenn Bercede weren’t able to do anything regarding the City’s loans and unfinished projects. Seno, for his part, said he would forgive Dionson for the latter’s “ignorance.” He said he was absent when the loan for the public market was approved.
