ILOILO City – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) Regional Office 6 has charged Iloilo Provincial Government information chief Jose Nereo Lujan over a series of Facebook posts critical of former Iloilo City mayor Jerry Treñas and his daughter, incumbent Mayor Raisa Treñas.
In a resolution dated October 13, the CSC-6, headed by Director IV Atty. Erna Elizan, found a prima facie case against Lujan, head of the Provincial Information and Community Affairs Office (PICAO), for “conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”
The charge stemmed from a complaint filed by the elder Treñas over social media posts published between May 2023 and May 2024, when he was still serving as Iloilo City mayor.
The commission determined that Lujan’s Facebook posts constituted personal attacks against the former mayor and his daughter, raising questions about the ethical conduct expected of government officials and employees, particularly in their use of social media.
The case involves alleged violations of Section 4(b) and (c) of Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
According to the CSC-6 resolution, Treñas accused Lujan of publishing malicious, baseless and unfounded statements.
Treñas alleged that the posts were intended to publicly malign, discredit and humiliate him and his daughter.
He also pointed out that Lujan’s Facebook account, which had approximately 27,000 followers, was set to public, allowing the posts to reach a wide audience.
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS UNDER SCRUTINY
Among the posts cited in the complaint was a May 31, 2023 statement criticizing Treñas over alleged disregard of traffic regulations.
“Yor, if you want us to respect your ‘traffic rules’, show us that you can also respect the red light, It’s as simple as that!” Lujan wrote.
In another post dated June 11, 2023, Lujan again criticized the former mayor’s alleged traffic violations.
“Yor, wala ka abi naga respeto sa red light te ang mga PSTMO personnel wala man naga respect sa red light eh!”
On October 31, 2023, Lujan posted another remark questioning the conduct of Treñas’ police escorts.
“Yor, guina-LBM ka? Naga dali ka guid aw? grabe guid pamusina kag pang wahig sang duha mo ka police escorts haw? get well soon Yor. We love you.”
Other posts cited in the resolution involved political remarks and ridicule directed at Raisa Treñas, particularly her campaign slogans and political affiliations.
On April 14, 2024, Lujan posted “Budlay-budlay kuha pa ba!” and “T, RAI, baho Ilonggo?” in reference to Raisa’s “TRAIBAHO ILONGGO” tagline.
He also wrote, “Aside sa tRAIbaho, may isa pa ka word nga may RAI-tRAIdor! Hahahaha”
In an April 16 post, Lujan commented, “Bisan gutok, sigi dasok!” and “Libre raspa sa City Hall???” in reference to another slogan associated with Raisa.
Another post dated April 19, 2024, read: “DespeRAido guid nga makasulod sa grupo iya nga Princesa, that’s why todo guid pasipsip nya kay BBM. Anhon mo na bi kay indi si Liza sa inyo?”
On May 3, 2024, Lujan wrote: “Ang pagpalangga mo sa aton heritage daw pareho sang Tallano Gold. Fictitious!”
The CSC-6 cited these statements, along with other posts identified in the complaint, in determining whether Lujan’s conduct violated the ethical standards governing public employees.
CSC: POSTS TARNISHED PUBLIC OFFICE
In its resolution, the commission concluded that the posts tended to bring dishonor, discredit and contempt upon the individuals targeted.
It also emphasized that government personnel are expected to observe standards of professionalism and ethical conduct, including in their public online activities.
“They create a negative impression to the public that officials/employees of the Iloilo Provincial Government, in particular, and all public servants of the government, in general, are free or allowed to use social media to damage the reputation of others and even during official working hours such as the post made by Lujan on 3 May 2024 (Friday) at 9:17 in the morning. Indubitably, Lujan’s act of publicly making the said posts tarnished the image and integrity of his public office, in particular, and the government as a whole,” the CSC-6 resolution stated.
The commission specifically cited the May 3, 2024 post, which was reportedly published at 9:17 a.m. on a Friday, raising concerns about a government official’s use of social media during regular working hours.
Following its preliminary investigation, the commission found sufficient grounds to initiate formal administrative proceedings against Lujan.
“WHEREFORE, Jose Nereo C. Lujan is formally charged with Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service in view of his Facebook posts on 31 May 2023, 11 June 2023, 31 October 2023, 9 April 2024, 14 April 2024, 16 April 2024, 19 April 2024, and 3 May 2024,” the resolution stated.
LUJAN ORDERED TO ANSWER CHARGES
The CSC-6 directed Lujan to submit his answer under oath within 10 days of receiving the resolution, together with his sworn testimony, statements from witnesses and other supporting documents, if any.
He was also advised of his right to legal counsel of his choice and instructed to indicate whether he wished to undergo a formal investigation.
The filing of formal administrative charges does not constitute a final finding of guilt, and Lujan remains entitled to due process.
As of the filing of the original report, Lujan had not issued a public statement addressing the charges./PN
