THE preliminary investigation against Provincial Human Resource Office Head lawyer Annabelle Palic and former Provincial Agriculturist lawyer Japhet Masculino is set for September 13, 2021.
Provincial Legal Officer lawyer Alberto Nellas on Thursday, September 2, 2021, said Palic and Masculino opt to undergo formal hearings based on administrative charges respectively filed against them.
They submitted their manifestations on August 31, Nellas said.
The formal hearing is mandated under the Civil Service Commission circular. It is like a court pre-trial, Nellas said.
The hearing will be conducted at the Session Hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
Palic has been put under a 60-day suspension and will return to her duties at the Provincial Cyber Centre after the suspension. Masculino has already retired from government service.
Palic was formally charged for oppression, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave misconduct and for being notoriously undesirable.
The Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (Pace) filed a formal administrative complaint against Palic on July 6.
Renelo Lastierre, Pace president, said the filing of complaints against Palic was made after the Union's Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution, which is also supplemented by the petition signed by 694 employees of the provincial government.
Lastierre said the complaint stemmed from accusations of some aggrieved Capitol employees, including those who already retired from government service, against her.
Palic has been reassigned to the Negros First Cyber Centre since 2020.
Nellas said the alleged offenses or charges against Palic are grave that under the CSC rules cannot be settled anymore.
Charges against Mascilino, on the other hand, are relative to the unsettled catering services, purchase of dryer and unfinished projects funded by the Department of Agriculture since 2014.