Bantayan execs face charges

CEBU, Philippines —  All elected officials of Bantayan town are facing criminal and administrative charges for abolishing a plantilla position of an employee who was on maternity leave.

Katrina Kaye Kowalik, supervising administrative officer of the Office of the Municipal Administrator of Bantayan, yesterday filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

She was the designated Human Resource Management Officer and at the same time Public Information Office of the municipality during the previous administration.

Kowalik has accused Mayor Arthur Despi, Vice Mayor Antonio Montemar, Councilors Abrahan Desamparado, Josette Tan, Orlando Layese, Dorah Yap, Janet Hubahib, Jeffrey Barretto, Leopoldo Umbao, Jedleonil Umbao, Carlo Lapingcao and Markham Mansueto of conduct unbecoming a government employee, acts prejudicial to the interest of the service, gross misconduct, gross abuse of authority and oppression, and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practice Act.

Also included in the complaint were HRMO-designate Maricor Pacaña and Edgar Fernandez, mayor’s executive assistant.

Pacaña and Fernandez were also charged for violating Civil Service Rules and the Magna Carta of Women and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Kowalik was on maternity leave when Despi assumed office on July 1, 2019 as the newly elected town mayor and was set to report to work on September 26, 2019.

Eight days before her scheduled return to work, Kowalik was surprised to learn that her position was abolished by the municipal council by revoking the 2017 ordinance creating a position of Supervising Administrative Officer with salary grade 22.

Kowalik alleged that the abolition of her position was upon the “urgent request” of Despi through a letter to the Sangguniang Bayan dated September 16, 2019 stating “a matter of utmost urgency” and being part of the reorganization.

“That moment on, I knew that I was eyed as a good target for political harassment and persecution,” said Kowalik.

Kowalik was appointed during the time of then mayor Ian Christopher Escario, Despi’s opponent in the May 13, 2019 elections.

Despite a seemingly hostile work environment, Kowalik reported back to work on September 26, 2019 and her table in the office was already occupied by Pacaña who served her a memorandum of “reassignment” to the Municipal Research and Learning Center.

The following day, Kowalik reported to the Office of the Mayor asking Despi for enlightenment of her current status.

“Mayor Despi only relied on his supposition that there seems to be an error in the creation of my position and since he does not need me either as HRMO or PIO, then he admittedly decided to dissolve the position saying that my position is allegedly redundant and the salary is a waste of people’s money,” Kowalik said.

Kowalik claimed to have been singled out because of political reason. She added Despi even threatened to also sue her when she informed him of her plan to seek redress before the Civil Service Commission and the Ombudsman.

 “On these facts alone, it is apparent that all of these only constitute acts of vindictiveness, being politically motivated,” she said. (FREEMAN)