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[av_heading heading=’Bing reinstates 10 city hall workers ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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BACOLOD City – Ten city hall employees whose appointments then mayor Monico Puentevella revoked early this year were reinstated.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia effected their return to the city government after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) “reversed and set aside” Executive Order (EO) No. 044-2016, said City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan.
The EO withdrew/revoked the appointments of Wilma Salinas, Jan Michael Vincent Petierre, Angel Barrientos Jr., Nelia Sedillo, Michael Arboleda, Robert Toledo, Adelino Untal Jr., Mark Oliver Binguan, Daniel Medecielo, and Hannibal Varca.
They were the first among 66 workers to haul Puentevella to the CSC just this March. The complaint filed by the rest is pending resolution.
The complainants asked the CSC to declare the EO “illegal, null and void”; reinstate them and validate their appointments by Greg Gasataya as acting mayor; and grant them back wages.
Gasataya (now congressman) appointed the 10 recently reinstated employees to permanent positions on Jan. 15 and 26, and Feb. 5.
Of the remaining complainants, 34 were promoted, while 22 were issued new appointments on Jan. 6 and 21, and Feb. 2.
At the time, Gasataya was serving as acting mayor in light of Puentevella’s suspension (Nov. 16, 2015 to Feb. 14, 2016) over an allegedly anomalous computer purchase using his discretionary fund when he was congressman.
Bayatan confirmed the 10 workers’ reinstatement took effect last week after the City Legal Office submitted to Leonardia an opinion elaborating on the CSC decision.
In a joint appeal dated Feb. 29, the 10 workers said Puentevella — who returned to city hall on Feb. 15 — issued an EO on Feb. 17 directing all department heads “not to recognize and accept” them.
In a resolution promulgated on Oct. 4, the CSC directed Leonardia to reinstate the 10 workers and pay their back salaries and benefits from the time they were not allowed to work until their actual reinstatement.
“An appointment issued in accordance with pertinent laws and rules shall take effect immediately upon its issuance by the appointing authority,” the CSC said in the decision signed by Region 6 director Rodolfo Encajonado, citing Section 1, Rule IV of the CSC Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 40 as amended.
“If the appointee has assumed the duties of the position, he shall be entitled to receive his salary at once without awaiting the approval of his appointment by the CSC,” said the commission.
In his EO Puentevella cited CSC Resolution No. 030918 dated Aug. 28, 2003 on appointments made by outgoing elective caretaker officials.
But the 66 complainants argued that the resolution had long been superseded by MCs, the most recent was MC No. 10 series of 2011, which provided that conditions on appointments made by such officials apply only to appointments made after elections./PN
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