ILOILO City Administrator Norlito Bautista assured there is no fishing expedition on complaints against the chief of the La Paz Maternity Clinic and Hospital and appealed to the complainant to submit a verified and notarized complaint against Dr. Julie Linaogo Baronda for the complaint to prosper.
Bautista admitted he has received a copy of the unverified complaint and he wanted to meet and ask Dr. Baronda about it. But the clinic chief is reportedly on leave and attending a seminar outside the city.
Bautista said that Baronda will be back within this week and he will immediately call for a meeting with the clinic chief regarding the complaints currently circulating in various media outlets in Iloilo.
The City Administrator said he could not immediately comment on the merits of the complaints according to Civil Service rules and regulations. But CSC rules dictate that the person who is subject of the complaint must be present and the complainant present a substantiated charge.
Bautista said the City Government is clearly following the Civil Service rules unlike the Ombudsman which can start investigation even without a verified and formal complaint.
This is following due process and giving the head of office the benefit of the doubt, the City Administrator said.
The complainant against Baronda has no address but using medical terminologies like “stat investigation” which indicates that he or she is an insider at the maternity clinic who may not like the management style of Baronda.
Among the charges include alleged hiring of 37 personnel including relatives and close friends and unaccounted equipment at the maternity clinic. (LCP)