Danao City’s 238 casuals need P450T bond

CEBU, Philippines - The 238 casual employees of the Vice Mayor’s Office of Danao City have to post a bond of P450,000 before they can get their back wages not paid by the previous administration.

Danao City Regional Trial Court Branch 25 presiding Judge Jerry Dicdican has issued a resolution dated June 25, 2013 granting the writ of preliminary injunction.

In the said resolution, Dicdican ordered the respondents led by then mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. to desist from enforcing the memorandum dated July 9, 2012 which suspended the processing and payments of the salaries, wages and benefits of the 238 casual employees.

“Let an additional bond of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand (P450,000.00) Pesos be posted by the petitioners to answer for all the damages and costs should the Court will finally decide that they are not entitled thereto,” said Dicdican in his resolution.

Former congressman, now Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon “Red” Durano VI reportedly was the one paid the P50,000 bond earlier posted for the issuance of the temporary restraining order.

Boy is no longer in the position after he lost to his brother, Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III, who was the vice mayor when the case was filed by the latter’s employees.

Other respondents in the mandamus are Danao City Budget Officer Teresita Almacen and Galacito Camaongay, officer-in-charge of the City Human Resource Management Office.  Boy earlier issued a memorandum withholding the salaries of 250 casual employees for the months  of June to September 2012.

But only 238 casual employees of the office then Vice Mayor Nito filed a complaint against Boy for refusing to pay their salaries, wages, and benefits and accused him of grave abuse of authority, oppression and violation of human rights, serious misconduct, dereliction of duty, and unsatisfactory conduct prejudicial to the service.

The case was filed in the middle of the political tussle between the two Durano brothers who ran against each other for mayor in the May 13 elections from being allies in 2010 and in previous elections.

RTC Judge Sylvia Aguirre-Pederanga earlier issued a TRO which in effect ordered city officials to pay the salaries and benefits of their 238 casual workers but Boy refused to heed the court order.  — (FREEMAN)