City accountant washes hands of TCC salary mess

CEBU, Philippines -  Talisay City accountant Viluzminda Garces-Villarante yesterday signed a waiver of accountability for the payment of all claims at the controversial Talisay City College.

At least 30 non-teaching personnel of TCC have sought the help of City Council members in order to claim their salaries which the city government allegedly has not paid them since January.

In her letter to Mayor Johnny De los Reyes dated April 22, Villarante cited two reasons in registering her waiver.

The city approved P12 million in budget for the college, including salaries and wages. Non-teaching personnel receive P6,500  per month.

But Villarante said the legality of college president Ritchel Bacaltos' appointment must first be settled in court.

Villarante pointed out that Bacaltos was appointed by the Board of Trustees but has no contract to support on the claim while Dr. Paulus Mariae Cañete was appointed by the mayor pursuant to an executive order.

Last February, De los Reyes appointed Cañete as head of the college, in effect replacing Bacaltos. But Bacaltos argued that the order was illegal because Sangguniang Panlungsod Ordinance No. 2008-11 enacted on Dec. 10, 2008 says only the school's BOT has the authority to designate an officer-in-charge of the school.

It was the same board, through  Resolution No. 21 S-201, which appointed Bacaltos as acting president of the college on June 5, 2013.

The case is still pending in court.

Last February 27, the non-teaching personnel were invited by Mayor Johnny De los Reyes for a meeting and were asked to sign a contract until February so they could get their two-month salaries.

Villarante said that because of the unsettled issue on the legality of the school presidency, which is still in court, the legality of appointment of teachers, non-teaching personnel and job order employees must be withheld.

"It is beyond the authority of the undersigned to settle the issue, which is under the jurisdiction of the court," Villarante’s letter said.

TCC was established through a city ordinance approved in 2004. It first opened its gates to students in June of that year.  (FREEMAN)