Capitol workers caught drinking

 CEBU, Philippines - Eight Capitol employees were found drinking beer nearby during office hours last Friday.

No less than Governor Hilario Davide III himself saw the first group, consisting of four men and a woman, of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office drinking beer at a teahouse along Don Jose Avila Street.

Davide said it was his driver who reported them to him after the latter saw the group while he was buying bread at a nearby bakeshop around 2 p.m.

“Ako giadto, nagtuo sila mo-ipon ko kay ang usa nitagad man, abi nila moapil ko,” Davide told reporters.

Davide said the group told him they were on leave that day, prompting him to warn them to watch out.

However, records at the Human Resource Management Office showed the five were not on leave that day.

Only one of them is a casual employee of the Capitol while the four others are outsourced.

“Tingali kompyansa ra kaayo sila wa’y mo-monitor nila,” Davide said.

Davide has yet to name them pending the investigation of the Committee on Discipline and Investigation.

PDRRMO chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. said the personnel will be terminated for violating the rules.

“Di na kinahanglan imbestigaron, si gov nakakita,” Tribunalo said.

Tribunalo, who was in Manila when the incident happened, said he already talked to the five staff and explained to them their violations.

“We are a risk reduction office, not just hazards but also include practice, ethics,” he said.

The second group was composed of three regular employees of the Provincial Health Office who were also caught drinking outside the compound near the Legislative Building at around 4 p.m. by a Capitol employee.

The three claimed they worked undertime that day, but their records also proved otherwise.

Davide said both groups did not only violate office hours but were also lying.

“Tingali ila huna-huna buotan ra kaayo ko, we will appreciate those who do honest work, kinahanglan sad disiplinahon,” he said.

Davide stressed he cannot tolerate abuses at the Capitol and one has to follow rules.

“We are very serious sa trabaho, what they do outside is a reflection of me,” Davide added. —/BRP (FREEMAN)