Gov fires 300 Nueva Vizcaya capitol workers

By Charlie Lagasca 

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Some 300 capitol employees are set to lose their jobs after the new provincial government reportedly revoked their appointments issued by the previous administration.

In an order dated July 1, Gov. Ruth Padilla recalled all the appointments made by her predecessor, former Gov. Luisa Cuaresma.

The order, which reportedly covers appointments from 2007 until after elections, will affect some 300 employees of the provincial government, who were either appointed as permanent or promoted from their job under Cuaresma’s administration.

The order also includes those appointed just before the May 13 elections up to July 1, which Padilla said, was in violation of the Local Government Code, the Omnibus Election Code and Civil Service Laws, Rules and Regulations.

“The appointments and promotions of some employees were made in the absence of a Personnel Selection Board which should have been created in accordance with law,” said Padilla.

Lawyer Leslie Costales, legal counsel during the administration of Cuaresma, defended the appointments of the affected provincial government employees, saying they have undergone the legal process.

The appointments, he said, were approved by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) after the provincial government complied with all the necessary requirements and processes.

“However, we will give the new administration the benefit of the doubt that they are also complying with the process,” he said.

Speculations are rife that Padilla’s move has something to do with politics since the affected employees were said to be either close to the past administration or whose promotion or permanent appointments were made under Cuaresma’s term.

Reports also had it that the termination of the capitol employees was meant to accommodate the new administration’s allies.