BACOLOD City Legal Office (CLO) head Joselito Bayatan said over the weekend they have 30 days to make a recommendation to determine the sanction of the five employees who supposedly failed to liquidate their cash advances.
Bayatan said that Pacita Tero, head of Department of Social Services and Development, Mae Cuaycong of City Planning and Development Office, Edsel Casilagan of Public Affairs and Assistance Division, Diana Besañes of City Health Office, and Ma. Fe Trespuentes of Department of Public Services, who were earlier suspended, had refused to file their position papers.
An administrative case for gross neglect of duty were filed against the five employees after they allegedly failed to liquidate their cash advances amounting to P10.025 million during the term of former Mayor Monico Puentevella.
The employees’ lawyer Joel Cabalatungan sent a letter to Bayatan Friday stating that they will not submit their position papers because they have already submitted sufficient affidavits.
Last month, the five employees have reported back to their offices and they were given 10 days to submit their position papers.
According to records, Cuaycong had a cash advance of P3 million for the hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in 2015 that was obtained on April 21, 2015 while Tero obtained a cash advance amounting to P84,866 for the Philippine National Games on May 21, 2014 and P3.5 million for Apec 2015 on April 28, 2015.
Casilagan had a cash advance in the amount of P500,000 for the Philippine Representation to the Hong Kong International Chinese New Year Celebration on February 15 to 22, 2015, which was obtained on February 11, 2015.
Tero and Casilagan had partial liquidation of their previous cash advances, but were still allowed to have another cash advance which is against the COA rule, Bayatan said.
Besañes obtained P500,000 for Panaad sa Negros Festival 2015 on April 8, 2015, and Espina received P400,000 for the 2014 Charter Day celebration on October 15, 2014.
Trespuentes obtained P2.041 million for the 2015 Charter Day celebration on November 2, 2015, several days after the said celebration.
Bayatan said they will submit their recommendation to the City Mayor’s Office for further review and for the final decision that will be revealed in January.