TWO Capitol department heads were preventively suspended for 60 days effective Monday, June 8, by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson after administrative charges were filed against them.
In a Memorandum Order dated June 6, 2020, Lacson ordered the suspension of Provincial Budget Officer Jose Percival Salado Jr., who is facing an administrative offense of gross neglect of duty.
In an order obtained by SunStar Bacolod, Lacson stated: "After a careful perusal of the allegations and evidence available and presented, this office concludes that a prima facie case for Gross Neglect of Duty exists against you (respondent)."
"The administrative charges warrant a preventive suspension in view of the fact that the respondent exercises authority over the herein witnesses and the Provincial Budget Office where evidence, testimonial or documentary are available. It is therefore imperative that the witnesses, other testimonial and documentary evidence, as well as the proceedings itself, be protected from whatever form of influence from the respondent to give due course to a fair and impartial investigation and hearing," he added.
The memo also states that in order to avoid embarrassment and/or any untoward incident, Salado is directed to refrain from entering the premises of the Provincial Capitol, Provincial Budget Office and any of its offices during the duration of his suspension or from doing such acts that will influence the witnesses and the proceeding.
The charges against Salado is allegedly based on his failure, as budget officer, to study and evaluate the budgetary implications and non-submission of comments, recommendations and objections during the proposal and discussion of legislations enacted and promulgated by the Provincial Board in the creation of new positions by the Province of Negros Occidental in its annual budget for fiscal years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, "thereby increasing the excess in the PS cap allowance from P106,134,890.46 in 2015 to P595,224,524.03 in 2019 and leading to the disallowance of the said amount in 2019 and prohibition on Province of Negros Occidental to provide for additional PS items until such time that the PS cap is observed."
Asked for reaction, Salado confirmed that he received the suspension order Monday.
He said he received a show cause order in March and the said offense was attributed to him, but actually, it does not fall on his function because it is the job of the Provincial Board, which tells them about the plantilla and salary for every position.
"It is the SP that approves and I am not the main person for such offense. After I answered the show cause order, formal charge was filed against me, that's why the preventive suspension was served against me," Salado said.
He said he will follow the inevstigation procedure.
Salado also revealed that aside from him, also served with the 60-day preventive suspension effective June 8 is Ellen Jalandoni, manager of Mambukal Resort, for a separate and different administrative charges.
He also revealed that there were some other department heads who were served with a show cause order in March, including Provincial Scholarship Program head Karen Dinsay and Negros Occidental Langauge and Information Technology Center head Tina Orbecido.