BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz yesterday dismissed complaints filed against him and six other Capitol employees as “politically-motivated.” He also described it as a product of imagination of complainants, being used for “political purposes.”
Diaz and six other respondents, including Provincial Budget Officer Gemma Flores; Provincial Accountant Annabelle Magalona; Provincial Human Resource Officer Felomina Gozon; Provincial Treasurer Atty. Amy Grace Bolivar; and Merly Frio and Jade Miraflores, both assigned under the Human Resource Department, were charged before the Ombudsman Visayas for alleged technical malversation of funds, grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and dishonesty.
The complaints, which have been filed against them by Jonathan Buyco of Brgy. Matab-ang, Talisay City, and Lilibeth Carballo, a resident Pag-asa Habitat in Brgy. Jonob-Jonob, Escalante City, stemmed from hiring of 23 registered voters of Bacolod City, who were employed by the provincial government as job order employees.
This is despite the fact that such appropriation for personal services in the annual budget is intended for employment for residents and taxpayers of the province of Negros Occidental, Buyco and Carballo, in their joint complaint affidavit, said.
They further claimed that those appointees from Bacolod City are all election campaign operators of then Provincial Consultant Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez, who is a mayoralty candidate for Bacolod City.
Diaz said there are currently no laws that prohibit hiring job orders from other areas of the province.
“I think this is already the start of the intervention and messing of the NGC (New Government Center) of the affairs of the province, and putting malice to it,” he stressed, recalling that the allegations questioning the hiring of its residents as job order employees of the province,came out from the Facebook page of the Bacolod City government.
Diaz also noted that counsels of the complainants are also the same lawyers who assisted complainants in the filing of a disqualification case against former Rep. Benitez.
“This is not a real complaint. This is a political harassment. They are putting malice on our hiring and use it for politics,” he further stressed,claiming that it was a strategy of the camp of incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Diaz also pointed out that the provincial government did not force those 23 Bacolod City residents, adding that they were hired for a legitimate purpose.
“Where is the law that prohibits the province from hiring JOs from Bacolod City. If that is the case, then several permanent employees at the province who are residents of Bacolod City could have been fired”, he said.
On the other hand, the complainants further alleged the hiring of 23 Bacolod City residents “speaks nothing more than to really assist and aid Mr. Benitez in boosting his candidacy and political promotion in Bacolod City.”*
