Sunday, June 15, 2008 Cebu SK Fed to discuss stand on pregnant officer
THE Cebu City Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation officials still have to make an official stand on the immorality complaint against Barangay Bacayan’s SK chairperson who got pregnant out of wedlock.
City Councilor and SKF President Rengelle Pelayo said the federation is yet to discuss the matter.
She said they formally learned of what happened only recently after weeks of rumors.
While there were a lot of reports on minor SK chairpersons who got pregnant during the past administration of Glena Bontuyan, the incident is the first for Pelayo.
Advise
She said they will have to make a stand following the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) advise for the pregnant SK chair to resign.
“Every decision must first be discussed by the officers. We need to agree on our stand. We pity her. In the previous administration, there were similar situations, but they continued working,” said the Barangay Buhisan SK chairperson.
“That’s personal and beyond the federation’s control. But I have to talk to my officers, if they want her out or what,” she added.
She admitted that the incident has marred the image of the SK as “supposed to be leading the change,” but she did not fault the SK official for it.
She hoped that the public will “not generalize” and spare the other youth officials.
Deadline
The Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas has given the chairperson of the SK in Barangay Bacayan, Cebu City one week to decide on whether to resign or not.
The issue is whether the SK chairperson can still perform her job despite her four-month pregnancy or not.
Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago ordered the beleagured SK official to explain if she could still be effective even with her pregnancy.
The SK leader, a minor, heard about the “immorality” charge against her through lawyer Danilo Almendras, of the DILG, and lawyer Ariel Bacatan of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
If she will not step down, the Office of the Ombudsman will decide on the issue.
The pregnant SK chair is still seeking legal advice on her fate. (RHM/JGA with JECT of Superbalita)
