SP dismissed cases vs Binmaley mayor
LINGAYEN—The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has dismissed with finality two separate administrative cases filed against the mayor of Binmaley town allegedly for grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct.
The decision of the SP’S Committee on Good Government and Accountability of Public Officers chaired by Sixth District Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr. was adopted in their regular session Monday contained in committee reports in favor of respondent Mayor Simplicio “Sammy” Rosario.
The first complaint filed by a certain Leon Castro was the appointment of Armenio Escat Jr. as municipal administrator, a green card holder and related to him by affinity within the third civil degree.
“The office of the Municipal Administrator is not a career position. It has no security of tenure. His term of office is co-terminus with that of his appointing authority (Section 480, RA 7160). This is so because an administrator is truly an alter ego of the local chief executive who must have his full trust and confidence,” the Committee earlier said in its decision.
On the issue of nepotism, Bince said the prohibition affects only career positions that refers to an office where the appointee may not be removed from office except for cause and after due process, notice and hearing.
The second complaint filed by Marilyn Zamora, the Human Resources Officer, whose appointment was questioned by the mayor and a case is still pending before the Civil Service Commission CSC, stemmed from the mayor’s issuance of office orders designating three officials as officers-in-charge in the Permit and Licenses, General Services and Human Resource Management Offices. The complainant alleged that they occupied first level positions but were designated to perform functions of second level positions in violation of a CSC memorandum circular.
The decision said that the designees are qualified to the positions they were designated to and therefore, it is safe to assume that no prejudice, interruption or disturbance may affect public service in Binmaley.
“In addition, there was no grave misconduct committed as no proof was submitted that there was clear intent to violate the law, or flagrant disregard of established rules attended the designations,” it said.
Rosario thanked the provincial board for its decisions, adding that these should already put to rest issues raised against him.
He appealed to his constituents to set aside political differences and personal interests and instead work with him for the greater good of the town. (Tita Roces)
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