BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said yesterday that the administrative complaints against former Human Resource Management Officer Annabelle Palic are valid, and “sufficient in form and substance”, and will be forwarded to the Provincial Legal Office for full investigation.
The Provincial Alliance of Capitol Workers on Tuesday filed administrative complaints against Palic before the Office of the Governor, for alleged acts of oppression prejudicial to public interest, and grave abuse of discretion.
“I think the governor has the prerogative to require Atty. Palic to submit her formal counter affidavits to the allegations stated in the complaints of PACE,” Diaz said.
He added that there is no need to issue a show-cause order against Palic, since the complaint, that was subscribed in court, has form and substance.
PACE president Renelo Lastierre said the filing of the complaints against Palic, that was unanimously approved by the PACE board of directors, through a resolution, stemmed from the accusations of some aggrieved Capitol employees, including those who were already retired from government service.
The concerned Capitol employees, Lastierre said, executed sworn statements alleging that they were deprived of leave credits during the Covid-19 pandemic, while retirees encountered difficulties in accessing their documents, that they claimed constitute oppression.
“Let her answer for it, then we will see if there is a need for a preventive suspension, or not,” Diaz said.
The possible penalty is dismissal, because it is a grave offense, he added.
Asked about the complaints against Palic, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that he will ask for an update from the PLO on the status of all cases against Capitol employees, and not only of one particular person.
Lastierre earlier said they will also file administrative and criminal complaints against Palic before the Office of the Ombudsman.
While the provincial government has the primary jurisdiction on administrative cases, Diaz said they will give way to the Ombudsman if it takes cognizance of both criminal and administrative cases.*
