JVR to abide by CSC decision

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny de los Reyes said he will abide by the decision of the Civil Service Commission to reinstate Tomas Ramos as president of the Talisay City College.

De los Reyes said that as chairman of TCC, he must follow the law.

“Okay ra nako kay mao man nay decision sa Civil Service. Wa tay angay nga musupak. Atong i-reinstate siya, kung mahimo, immediately,” he said.

He assured that the city government will pay Ramos his back wages, as ordered by CSC.

De los Reyes also said that as acting president of the school, Richel Bacaltos must also abide by the commission’s decision. If Bacaltos won’t, De los Reyes said he will be forced to order his office locked.

“Kung babagan gihapon niya (Bacaltos), padlock-an nako siya,” the mayor said.

De los Reyes said even his appointee to the TCC presidency, Dr. Paulus Cañete, must give way to Ramos.

“Kinahanglan si Dr. Cañete mupadaplin pud. Sila’ng duha. Kay ang desisyon sa Civil Service mao man ang pag-reinstate kang Dr. Ramos. Unfair pud sa iyang (Ramos) bahin nga illegal diay siyang gipapahawa,” the mayor said.

It is important that the two give way, De los Reyes said, because the longer they hold on to the post, the more back wages the city would have to give Ramos. He clarified, nevertheless, that he stopped paying Bacaltos after he appointed Cañete as college president last January.

The CSC decision dated November 15, 2013 signed by Chairman Francisco Duque III ordered that Ramos be reinstated as president, saying he was terminated illegally.

“(Ramos’) termination from the service is found illegal. Hence, he is ordered reinstated in the service with payment of back salaries from the time of his illegal dismissal up to his reinstatement,” reads the seven-page decision.

In May last year, the TCC Board of Trustees chaired at that time by former mayor Socrates Fernandez, suspended and subsequently terminated Ramos over an unexplained P10 million worth of school funds.

The commission, however, said it is “imperative that before one can be adjudged administratively liable of an offense, he/she must have been formally charged.” which presupposes the conduct of a preliminary investigation and a determination that there exists evidence that if uncontroverted, support the conclusion that the erring personnel can be held liable for his action.

This is something that the board allegedly failed to do.

The CSC said it did not charge Ramos of the alleged crime and instead kicked him from his post and replaced him with Bacaltos just weeks before De los Reyes assumed office in July.

January this year, citing that Bacaltos is not qualified for the post, De los Reyes appointed Cañete, a move that started a tug of war over the presidency.

De los Reyes said he is hopeful that the CSC decision will end the issue once and for all. —  (FREEMAN)