Dad seeks probe into ‘favoritism’ inside City Hall

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has requested the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the alleged political discrimination of City Hall employees.

Councilor Sisinio Andales, committee on laws chairperson, passed a resolution following the reports of Tisha Ylaya of Rainbow Rights Project that political discrimination over employees has been rampant in the government offices.

Andales, a lawyer, said the complaint on political discrimination must be looked into “whether or not there is truth to it” to safeguard the welfare of the employees.

“Ylaya strongly manifested that it is a sheer hypocrisy on the part of the City Government of Cebu to protect discrimination outside the city hall, but political discrimination is so sweeping and massive in the city hall itself,” Andales said.

Ylaya reportedly challenged the members of the City Council to draft measure in order to protect and shed City Hall employees from any political discrimination.

The council requested Wednesday the City Human Resource Department to submit the list of casuals, job orders and regular employees  from January last year up to the present.

A provision under the Civil Service Law provides that there shall be no discrimination in the selection of employees on the account of gender, status, disability, religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.

Mayor Michael Rama, however, expressed confusion on the intention of the City Council of having the said matter investigated.

“Ngano sa ako man (administration) wa man na years ago? Nalibog lang ko ngano imbestigahon ug dili modiretso og file? What for? What is there to be investigated unless wala ka kabalo unsay casual (employee)? “Rama said, adding that he doesn’t question the advocacy of Ylaya.

Majority of the members of the City Council are allies of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

“There is a political discrimination wherein you cannot invoke discrimination because naa may casual, regular, job order. Political discrimination is all about trust and confidence,” he explained.

Rama criticized Andales who authored a resolution requesting for an investigation into the alleged political discrimination.

“I wish that matter should not covered by a resolution,” he said. (FREEMAN)