More ch workers involved?: City Hall upholds probe into vehicle misuse

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Hall maintained its investigation on its driver’s misuse of a city-owned vehicle following reports that there are more people involved in a much worse violations.

Doctor Lucelle Mercado, the City administrator, said they will again call the attention of driver Ceverino Cardente, and six to eight more people who allegedly joined him in a drinking session near a beerhouse in Pelaez Street on Saturday dawn.

Mercado said they were supposed to give verdict to Cardente yesterday, but they chose to retain the investigation and verify the report that he was with other City Hall employees, allegedly including his immediate superior, Engr. Roel Tahum of the local school board, to whom the vehicle was issued.

“Plain and simple ra unta to nga ingon ana unya karon duna man gu’y nanglutaw nga mga storya. Ato lang g’yud i-verify kay taktak baya gyud ang silot,” said Mercado.

She said the City will not cover up for any employee regardless of his position.

“Duna man g’yud na’y posibilidad nga para maluwas ang uban, duna’y usa nga himuong sacrificial lamb bitaw. For me, that’s cover up, which is dili g’yud na nato i-tolerate,” Mercado pointed out.

The City administrator said that among those believed to be involved include Tahum, Cardente, mason Pergentino Carwana, and Arnold Lauron, also a mason, who earlier denied involvement, saying that he has parted with Cardente before the latter used the City’s multicab after office hours.

“All of them, they are not yet off the hook. Pirmirong istorya (of Cardente) nga duna daw siya’y mga kuyog. Pagkasuno,  niatras na siya,” Mercado disclosed.

The City Legal Office is also compelling Engr. Tahum to submit a letter of explanation, which he has not yet submitted since the incident.

Mercado said they are sorry if someone gets punished but this is now “high time” that the City has to impose their rules and the culprits to face the consequences.

“Dili na pwede nga sabut sabuton. Og unsay result ani na investigation unya unsay action atong buhaton, that would be enough warning to everybody that we are really serious,” the City administrator said.

The City Traffic Operations Management has towed the multicab and currently impounds it at their office. The vehicle will only be released if Cardente pays the P1,500 fine for overnight parking and for parking in a no parking area. —/JMD (FREEMAN)