Tom warns CH employees vs 'influence peddling'

Employees of the city government may have to get used to being on their toes especially in using their identification cards outside the workplace.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has issued a memorandum that warned city hall employees to be cautious in using their identification cards or face liability for "influence-peddling". A recent incident showed a city hall employee trying to evade apprehension for traffic violation.

"It has been observed that some city hall employees are flashing their IDs while demanding that CITOM Traffic Enforcers should not issue Traffic Citation Ticket if they are a passenger," the memorandum reads.

The memorandum dated July 13 specifically states that city hall employees do not have the authority to prevent apprehensions. Osmeña said such behavior "will not be tolerated".

"Anyone found practicing this would be liable for influence-peddling and face the consequences," the memo reads.

In his regular press conference, Osmeña would not want to specify the possible consequence of such action, saying the memorandum should serve as a "reminder" at this point in time.

He said the act of using the city hall ID for accommodations is a way of peddling and abusing an employee's position in the city government. Such practice, the mayor said, is very demoralizing to the City Traffic Operations Management personnel.

"I'm doing this for the benefit of those not doing it," Osmeña said, emphasizing that the bigger bulk of city hall employees still observe proper conduct and moral standards.

"We should remind them once in a while...we have to help them do their jobs," he said. - Joeberth M. Ocao