Sunday, May 18, 2008 Cebu City Council forgives officer
THE Cebu City Council last Wednesday decided not to impose the penalty recommended by the committee on laws on a Paril barangay councilor, after colleagues decided to forgive him.
Councilor Jeorge Lanza was accused of tampering with the barangay’s official logbook and other malicious acts.
Lanza erased the word “absent” written beside his name in the logbook last March 9 and replaced it with “Peste mo.”
He had denied the accusation during the initial investigation conducted by the barangay council.
He had been marked absent the day before because instead of being on duty, he went to his hometown in Leyte instead.
Policy
Prior to that, the barangay council had agreed to adopt a policy requiring all barangay officials to sign the logbook whenever they report for duty in the barangay hall.
They are also required to indicate in the logbook their whereabouts and the purpose of their trips whenever they leave the barangay hall for official business.
In a resolution passed in mass motion last March 27, the barangay council passed a resolution recommending the filing of a formal charge and the imposition of a disciplinary action against Lanza, for what they described as conduct unbecoming of a barangay official.
Recommendation
Last Wednesday, the City Council committee on barangay affairs recommended a public censure or reprimand as Lanza’s penalty.
But committee chairman Eugenio Faelnar also informed the council that Barangay Captain Casimiro Pilones had called and told him that they decided to forgive Lanza.
The barangay council, Faelnar said, is passing a resolution giving Lanza a chance, and will furnish the body a copy.
According to Faelnars’ report, the committee investigated the incident and Lanza, in front of Pilones and the other barangay council members, admitted that he was responsible for the alteration in the logbook.
Lanza allegedly said it was a result of an emotional outburst.
After that, Pilones and the rest of the barangay councilors conducted a secret balloting on whether to pursue their complaint. The majority agreed to accept Lanza’s apology.
The council had the penalty recommendation deleted before approving the committee report. (RHM)
