CLARK FREEPORT – The non-payment of salaries of 2,585 job orders (JOs) or contractual workers in Mabalacat City has uncovered a can of worms.
According to sources in the city government, the failure of the workers to receive their salaries for two months now could just be the tip of the iceberg.
It was learned that top city officials in charge of appropriating huge amounts among other important functions are closely related to one another. “It’s a family corporation,” the sources said.
City administrator Rosan Paquia is the husband of acting city budget officer Narce P. Paquia while city human resources management officer Merla P. De Leon is the wife of city engineer Rod De Leon.
The acting city budget officer and the city human resources management officer are sisters. The two are now embroiled in a controversy over the non-payment of salaries of thousands of JOs or contractual employees of the city government involving millions of pesos.
Engr. De Leon is the former president and now adviser of the Mabalacat Government Employees Association (Magea). He is now part of the pre-bids and awards committee (PBAC) on infrastructure of the city government while city administrator Paquia is with the PBAC on goods and supply.
Both committees deal with transactions involving millions of pesos.
The said officials, according to other sources, are allegedly living the life.
The De Leon couple lives in a big house in an exclusive subdivision in the city and drives around in a luxurious SUV Montero while Paquia lives in their old residence in Barangay San Francisco but drives a 2015 Toyota Fortuner and a Toyota Innova.
“Dinatnan na lang namin mga yan. We cannot remove them. Permanent employees sila protected by the Civil Service Commission (CSC),” said city legal officer Atty. Emmanuel E. Ignacio.
Attempts to get the side of the concerned chiefs of offices failed until presstime.
However, sources said the real budget officer in the plantilla of positions is not Mrs. Paquia but Bernard B. Delos Reyes who was quickly transferred to the Public Employment Services Office (PESO).
It was also cited that the enhancement and achievement incentive (EAI) bonus which was contained in Supplemental Budget No. 4 worth P35 million was used with the following breakdown: 500 plus permanent employees and 500 casual employees will get P25,000 each or P25 million plus while the remaining P10 million will be given to JOs at P2,000 each for a total of P5 million plus, while the remaining P5 million will be given to the employees of the Mabalacat City College and the city’s birthing stations.
Supplemental Budget No. 4 was approved in the spirit of the Christmas season as well as for the benefit of the workers.
However, it was noted that some of the JOs complained because they only got P600 while others got P1,000 which is again contrary to what was appropriated for them which is P2,000 each.
Sources said a notice was posted at the treasurer’s office advising those who got less to come back on December 28 for their remaining balance.
Ducati
But Ignacio was mum when asked on the reported sighting of Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo riding around the city in an expensive Ducati motorcycle while his family drives brand new vehicles including a Hyundai Santa Fe worth P2.3 million.
Instead, he lambasted Pampanga Press Club president Deng Pangilinan for allegedly raising leading questions during the “Talk Widus” media forum at the Widus Hotel and Casino on Wednesday.
“Grabe si Deng. Siya ang nag lead sa mga questions kahapon. Galit kasi siya dahil hindi na-renew appointment niya as director sa water district,” he said, while also accusing him of not returning equipment worth almost P1 million to the city government like cameras, video equipment, laptops and lens.
Meanwhile, the sources said the siblings of Mayor Garbo are also on the payroll of the city government with one receiving more than P2,000 per day.
Sources also said diesel gasoline purchase by the city government at P52 to P53 per liter is allegedly overpriced even by today’s standards.
For his part, Ignacio said they will file plunder and other cases against former mayor Marino “Boking” Morales next week.
“Inumpisahan nila. Tatapusin namin (They started it. We will finish it),” Ignacio said.
